Tokyo Olympics 2021: Latest news and results from men’s track and field

Aussie runner Pat Tiernan’s body gave up on him when he collapsed in the 10,000m final, but he refused to stop – and the moment has drawn comparisons with iconic Olympic moment.

Pat Tiernan's mind overcame his failing body to finish the 10,000m final.

Australia’s Patrick Tiernan has produced one of the gutsiest performances of the Olympic Games, falling over three times in the final lap of the 10,000m final before stumbling across the line.

Tiernan refused to not finish despite seemingly losing control of his senses after running the race of his life to put himself in medal contention with two laps remaining.

But almost in the blink of an eye the 26-year-old went from in control and challenging to wandering all over the place.

He was stumbling erratically before eventually hitting the deck at the 150m mark.

There was another fall shortly afterwards before he again got up only to this time fall flat on his face with 50 metres remaining.

Absolutely ridiculous and brutal finish in the 10,000m final. Exhausted Aussie Pat Tiernan ran an awesome race, dropped off on the last lap then collapsed with 50m to go. Got back up to cross the line. Incredible. #Athletics#Tokyo2020pic.twitter.com/AhTK1peIkG

— Ben Waterworth (@bjwaterworth) July 30, 2021

This was just some of the Tiernan family watching on @tiernan_patrick

We are so proud of him. He leaves EVERYTHING on the track. He will never die wondering.

He picked himself up and kept going. You are an inspiration to us all Pat!#olympicspic.twitter.com/AmFueoIMRl

— Josie Fielding (@josiefielding7) July 30, 2021

I know that I could not run 10 metres at that speed, let alone 10,000m. To see Pat Tiernan in the mix a lap out and then to see him collapse in the straight was horrific. But he picked himself up and finished. He’s got a heart the size of Phar Lap, @tiernan_patrick#Tokyo2020

— Andrew Hawkins 🇦🇺💛💚 (@AndrewNJHawkins) July 30, 2021

So much respect for Pat Tiernan. He generally gave everything he had. Absolutely love it. Won't get the kudos, but deserves it as much as anyone.

— Craig Byrnes (@BuddaDHARMA230) July 30, 2021

With anxious officials watching on, Tiernan managed to rise again and bravely stumbled across the finish line where he was quickly placed in a wheelchair and taken from the track.

The Australian team medical staff then whisked him away for urgent treatment.

“It is so strange when you see scenes like that, in the first thing you worry about the well-being of the athlete, but that is what he wanted, even if he did not get a medal, he was finishing,” former Olympian John Steffensen said.

Britain’s athlete Derek Redmond is helped from track by his father after falling during semi-finals of men's 400 at 1992 Olympic Games.

“Derek Redmond, the British runner, with his father jumping in the stands to help him finish the race, this is the spirit of the track and field team, leaving everything out there. They’re iconic moments. Sometimes it is not about winning, but finishing.

“We are not seeing on the television screens how hot it really is up there and I think we will see that in the 5K.”

Tiernan had run brilliantly for the opening 23 laps keeping up with the lead pack who were still bunched with 800m remaining.

But when the final sprint went on he was found wanting and that’s when the trouble struck.

The opening gold medal of the track and field program was taken out by Ethiopia’s Selemon Barega (27min43.22sec) in a boilover.

Pat Tiernan's mind overcame his failing body to finish the 10,000m final.

He was too strong for Ugandan world record holder Joshua Cheptegei in a desperate sprint to line with another Ugandan Jacob Kiplimo taking bronze.

Incredibly Tiernan still registered a season’s best of 28min35.06sec in finishing 24th.

In the women’s 5000m, Sifan Hassan ticked the first box in her audacious bid to pull off the boldest trifecta in Olympic history.

The Netherlands distance star is aiming for gold in the 1500m, 5000m and 10000m in Tokyo which will see her run six races in nine days.

Hassan, 28, created history at the 2019 world championships in Doha when she won gold in the 1500m and 10,000m.

On Friday night she comfortably won the opening heat of the 5000m clocking 14min47.89sec.

It was a tough outing for Australian youngsters Rose Davies and Isobel Batt-Doyle who struggled but Jenny Blundell ran courageously in the second heat finishing 11th in 15min11.27sec which is just a second outside her career best.

Brandon Starc has put himself in the medal frame.

Starc soars into Olympic medal contention

When Brandon Starc mentions 2018 to describe how he’s feeling going into the Olympic high jump final, it’s time to get a little bit excited.

Three years ago the Australian announced himself on the world scene, winning Commonwealth gold and then going to Europe and upstaging the world’s best to win the Diamond League final.

For a variety of reasons, mainly injuries, Starc wasn’t able to recapture that form over the next couple of years but after an impressive qualifying round in Tokyo on Friday the 2018 vibes are starting to return.

“Looking back to 2018 that was probably the thing that made my success so well was just the confidence, backing myself and the belief,” Starc said after comfortably clearing 2.28m.

“That’s all I needed to do. I know I can jump and just backing myself, backing my ability to execute my run-up and jump.

“Today spoke for itself. I was confident from the get-go and the run-up was pretty much on point which has given me a bit of confidence going into Sunday.”

Australia's Brandon Starc flies over the bar during the heats.

Starc, who equalled Tim Forsyth’s longstanding national record of 2.36m in 2018, is an outside medal chance as is discus thrower Matt Denny who was just as impressive in qualifying.

In his first international competition since the 2019 world championships – where he finished sixth – the big Queenslander cruised through to Sunday’s final with a best throw of 65.13m.

“I have never thrown that far that early in the morning so that proves I am in good form and it shows I’m enjoying using that anticipation when I compete,” Denny said.

“It’s good to have that actual competitiveness. I am in good form, I can use the occasion and use the form and put it all into one. That’s what I need to do.

“I am in PB form. Whatever that turns out to be.”

Australian 800m record holder Catriona Bisset had a forgettable Olympic debut, fading over the final stages of her heat to miss a place in the semi-finals.

Bisset sat second for most of the race but was found wanting over the final 50m, finishing fifth in 2min01.65 which is almost three-and-a-half seconds slower than her career best.

“I don’t know what happened,” she said. “I just got clipped by a few people and just didn’t really have it.

“It’s really disappointing. I am pretty upset about that because I’m the fittest I have ever been in my life.”

In the men’s 3000m steeplechase Victorian Ben Buckingham ran a personal best 8min20.95sec but failed to progress through to the final.