Belgium’s Nafissatou Thiam achieved a remarkable feat at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, claiming her third consecutive heptathlon gold medal and cementing her status as the greatest of all time in the event. Thiam becomes only the second woman in history, alongside Polish hammer thrower Anita Włodarczyk, to win three Olympic golds in the same athletics discipline.
The 29-year-old athlete added the Paris 2024 title to her previous victories at Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020, setting a record in the process. Thiam had a comfortable lead heading into the final 800m event on Friday evening, with a 121-point advantage.
Thiam’s final score of 6,880 points was enough to secure gold, with Great Britain’s Katarina Johnson-Thompson taking silver with 6,844 points, and Thiam’s fellow Belgian Noor Vidts earning bronze with 6,707 points.
Reigning world champion Johnson-Thompson led Thiam by 48 points after the fifth event, but Thiam’s superior performance in the javelin throw, with a distance of 54.04m, propelled her into the lead. Thiam also achieved a personal best in the shot put (15.54m) and season’s bests in the 200m and the javelin.
Despite Johnson-Thompson’s personal best in the 800m, Thiam’s overall performance ensured she clinched victory by a margin of 36 points.
Thiam’s illustrious career now includes three Olympic gold medals and two world titles from 2017 and 2022. Three years ago, she joined U.S. legend Jackie Joyner-Kersee as the only women to win back-to-back Olympic titles in the heptathlon.
Final Standings – Women’s Heptathlon, Paris 2024
- Nafissatou Thiam (Belgium) – 6,880 points
- Katarina Johnson-Thompson (Great Britain) – 6,844 points
- Noor Vidts (Belgium) – 6,707 points
Thiam’s historic achievement not only solidifies her legacy but also serves as an inspiration for future generations in the sport.
