Paris Olympics: Aussie walker Jemima Montag races to bronze in the 20km event - before winning over fans with a classy act
- Broke her own national record
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Aussie athlete Jemima Montag has won bronze in the 20km race walking event at the Paris Olympics.
The Melburnian, 26, was third to cross the line in a field of 45 entrants, behind China's Jiayu Yang and María Pérez from Spain, in stifling heat.
She was fifth at the 15km mark but spurred on by her family and friends in the crowd, she surged home in the final 5km to finish just five seconds behind second-placed Perez.
Montag broke her own national record when she crossed the line in a time of 1:26:25- the second time she has broken it this year.
In a class gesture that warmed the hearts of sports fans, Montag immediately rushed to the aid of Perez, who was struggling with exhaustion after she crossed the finish line.
Montag is the second Aussie to medal in the event after Jane Saville secured bronze at Athens 20 years ago.
Montag's grandmother was a Holocaust survivor who escaped the horrors of Auschwitz, who died three years ago shortly before she competed at the Games in Tokyo.
Montag now takes inspiration from a bracelet given to her by her grandmother.
Jemima Montag has added to Australia's medal tally after a bronze in the 20km race walk
Montag rushed to the aid of silver medallist María Pérez after crossing the finish line
'I was feeling extra levels of strength and courage and resilience,' she said post-race.
'(My grandmother) passed on all those amazing traits to my dad, who's passed them on to my sisters and I.
'And today took all of those things.
'The course was one kilometre with a dogleg and cobbles, the noise was so loud where the crowd was.
'Different women were making different moves and I needed every bit of courage that I had. It comes from family.'
A noted big-event performer, Montag was second at last year's world championships and claimed gold at the previous two Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast in 2018 and then in Birmingham four years later.
'That was the hardest thing I've done physically and mentally. It was hot and humid,' Montag later told Channel Nine.
'The course was quite interesting for just a 1km loop and the noise of the spectators was on another level.
'I'm really proud of my toughness in the final three or four kilometres.
'It's normal to have so many thoughts of, maybe I will settle for fifth, maybe I don't need that medal too much.
'But expecting those self-doubt thoughts and overcoming them and really powering through for the medal was important.'
Jemima Montag was fifth at the 15km mark before storming home to finish third
Jemima Montag broke her own national record on her way to winning bronze
Earlier on Thursday, Brian Pintado from Ecuador won the first athletics event of 2024 Olympics, surging away in the final stages to claim gold in the men's 20km walk.
Pintado clocked a winning time of 1:18:55, with the minor medals going to Caio Bonfim from Brazil (1:19:09) and Spaniard Alvaro Martin (1:19:11).
Australian Declan Tingay was with the lead group through the first 15km and hung tough to finish 11th in 1:19:56, one spot ahead of countryman Rhydian Cowley.
The third Australian, Kyle Swan, was 35th.
Both races were delayed by half an hour due to overnight thunderstorms.
Montag with her Aussie teammates back up next Wednesday when the mixed marathon race walk relay makes its Olympic debut.
