With the sun setting across Paris’ Stade de France stadium Saturday night, Parkite Grant Fisher was back in sixth place as the 5k runners rounded the final of 50 corners in their race.
Gold medalist Jakob Ingebrigtsen of Norway had broken away from the rest of the runners, running the final lap in 53.2 seconds and the final corner in 26.5 seconds. He would overcome his fourth-place disappointment from Tuesday, Aug. 6, finishing with a season’s best time of 13:13.66.
Fisher wouldn’t let the door closing on the gold bring him down however, as he turned on the jets with his mind set on making history.
While Fisher had already made some history this Olympics by becoming the third-ever U.S. 10K medalist Aug. 2, there was more on the line, the chance to become the first-ever U.S. man to double-podium the two distance events.
Fisher moved to the outside third lane, passing the fourth and fifth place finishers with his final burst of energy. With only a few feet to the finish line, he saw he had secured the second bronze and tossed out his arms in elation.
Fisher had the same shocked smile as when he won his first bronze. He took another lap around the trademark light purple track with the American flag draped over his shoulders.
Fisher’s move to Park City had paid off on the grandest world stage.
