CRASH OUT: Ethiopia's Gudaf Tsegay and Kenya's Faith Kipyegon clashed in the women's 5,000m final, leading to disqualification for Kipyegon and later reinstatement of her silver medal after an appeal. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
Paris Olympics

Agony, the Only Guarantee for Some in Paris

August 17, 2024
With over 10,000 athletes competing at the Paris Games, not everyone believed a medal was in their sights. Nearly all returned home with dashed dreams from uncertain outcomes — while others reached personal milestones just by qualifying. Even those expected to triumph found themselves falling short, victims of unexpected blunders.
NUMBER 4 STUNNER: Norway’s Jakob Ingebrigtsen could only watch as his lead in the men’s 1,500m final turned into a fourth place finish after a shocking gold medal kick by Team USA’s Cole Hocker. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
EMPTY NEST: Lane five was assigned to Jamaica’s Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce in the women’s 100m semifinal but remained empty as a late scratch. She would later withdraw from competing in Paris due to injury. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
SUDDEN STOP: Ethiopia’s Lamecha Girma was carried off of the track after a scary fall in the men’s 3,000m steeplechase final. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)
BY ANY MEANS: Team USA’s Noah Lyles said he was hobbled by Covid and it took a toll on his performance in the men’s 200m final. He finished third and was carted from the track. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)
FEW ANSWERS: Jamaica’s team looked on in disbelief after not finishing the women’s 4x400m relay final because Andrenette Knight dropped the baton. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)
ELIMINATION CHAMBER: Italy’s Gianmarco Tamberi needed the support of family and friends after his journey in the men’s high jump final ended abruptly. (AP Photo/David Goldman)
TEMPORARILY GROUNDED: Canada’s Damian Warner’s no height attempts in the decathlon pole vault doomed his chances and he later pulled out of competition. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)
REVELATIONS: Jamaica’s Kishane Thompson waited for the results of the photo finish of the men’s 100m final and was stunned to see that Team USA’s Noah Lyles barely edged past him for the win. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
FOREIGN EXCHANGE: Christian Coleman and Kenny Bednarek had a rough baton pass in the men’s 4x100m final and Team USA was disqualified for running out of the exchange zone. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)
SAND TRAP: Jamaica’s Jaydon Hibbert had a rough trip down the runway when he suffered a leg injury in the men’s triple jump final and finished fourth. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)

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