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From parkrun to Olympic 1500 metres bronze in 18 months: Georgia Bell has just completed one of the most stirring transformations ever seen by a British athlete. Under pristine blue skies at Stade de France, the 30-year-old ascended to sports top table, taking a staggering four seconds off her personal best to capture this rapturously received medal. To think, it was only last year that her proudest achievement in athletics was running 5km in just over 16 minutes at Bushy Park. Now, thanks to a combination of colossal talent and inexhaustible self-belief, she graces an Olympic podium.
I just didnt know journeys like this existed, Bell said this summer. Her incredulity was magnified tenfold at this performance, as she somehow found the strength to overhaul Ethiopias Diribe Welteji over the final metres to cross the line in 3min 52.61sec, a British record. Here was a woman who, at one stage, had just about given up on her track career. An English schools champion for 800m in 2008, she struggled to convert that precocious promise, until a remarkable parkrun time with a minimum of training convinced her to believe in second chances.
It’s an unforgettable moment for Georgia Bell! She seals the bronze medal, with Faith Kipyegon winning her third consecutive Olympic 1500m gold #Olympics #Paris2024 #BBCOlympics pic.twitter.com/B0hFIh9UoO
BBC Sport (@BBCSport) August 10, 2024
This was a more lavish reward than she had dared imagine. Bell works full-time in cyber security, using artificial intelligence to find out how companies computer systems are being hacked. But in what has passed for downtime, she has nurtured an outlandish dream and found a way to bring it to glorious fruition. An athlete who had settled simply on running for fun and fitness has delivered, spectacularly, on the most daunting stage of all.
It is Trevor Painter and Jenny Meadows, Keely Hodgkinsons coaches, who have helped make it happen. Bell first contacted Painter in early 2023, in a fit of excitement about her parkrun numbers, and together the two have worked furiously ever since to capitalise on all her untapped potential. Having rediscovered her love of running during the pandemic, she wanted to see how far her continuous improvement could take her. Now she knows. It is one of the most heartwarming reinventions British track-and-field has known.
This season alone, Bell, the daughter of Channel Five News political editor Andy Bell, has carved 14 seconds off her 1500m best. She knows when to time her surges, too, edging past Welteji to trail home Kenyas Faith Kipyegon now a triple Olympic champion over this distance and Jessica Hull of Australia. She relegated her compatriot Laura Muir, who has had so many near-misses at global level, to fifth. Muir was generous in praise, describing Bells achievement as unbelievable.
Hardly surprisingly, Bell raised her hands to her head in disbelief. After all, she only returned to athletics full-time little over a year ago, after a spell in duathlon. Today, she can count herself as Olympic medallist and British record-holder, with a time that sits third on the European all-time list.
Bell has profited from a summer sabbatical from her nine-to-five job to pursue her Olympic ambitions, and the plan has worked wonders. Travelling fortnightly to Manchester to join Painters cohort, which includes Hodgkinson, she achieved a European silver medal this year despite suffering an infected spike wound in the heats that left her struggling to walk. That gave her the conviction, in her words, that she could get it done even when things are going wrong. She could reflect here that everything went just about as well as she could have possibly hoped.
She finds herself improving in just about every event that she applies herself to, from the 1500m all the way through to the 10,000m. Bell has cultivated a dual persona, calling herself an ambitious and hard-working cybersecurity expert/running nerd. On her LinkedIn site are two photographs: one of her in smart business clothes in the office lift, the second of her a picture of grace on the track.
Inadvertently, Steve Cram helped inspire her. Thankfully work has been very supportive, Bell told Telegraph Sport this year. I think Steve did me a favour at the world indoors when he said something like: Ah, Georgia Bell, shes working full-time but she must know that if she puts her focus on this she could make the Olympics.
She was convinced. With Q1 closed out, its time for me to put all my focus on aiming for the Olympic Games in Paris, she wrote. She can consider it mission accomplished.
In the circumstances, it was hard not to feel for Muir, who ran a fabulous race but was yet again denied at the death. Faith and I have been in global finals together since 2015, she said. Ive known her very well shes amazing. Jess [Hull] won her first medal and Im really close to her, too. But Georgia has done absolutely brilliantly. Its a very nice podium. Im just sad Im not on it.
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Utter dominance from the US…
There’s still the women’s marathon to run on Sunday morning, but the USA have dominated the athletics once again. Team GB’s 10 athletics medals is their highest tally since 1984.#BBCOlympics #Paris2024 #Olympics pic.twitter.com/9OXuO280MV
BBC Sport (@BBCSport) August 10, 2024
Heres how GBs table looks with just one athletics race – the womens marathon tomorrow morning at 7am – left, but plenty of medal chances in the velodrome to come.
It’s another relay medal for GB! Complete domination by the USA to take gold by a HUGE margin #Olympics #Paris2024 #BBCOlympics pic.twitter.com/CDFZwJqUNN
BBC Sport (@BBCSport) August 10, 2024
It’s a new British record as GB take 4x400m men’s relay bronze! USA hold off Botswana to take the gold medal #Olympics #Paris2024 #BBCOlympics pic.twitter.com/Ssp0BdWHYY
BBC Sport (@BBCSport) August 10, 2024
No foul for Jamaicas baton drop, an inconspicuous collision with the Irish athlete. That really is an outrageous run by the US, and by Femke Bol to beat Anning to silver – thats the Dutch womans third medal this week, one of each colour.
Like the last race, it was run at furious pace and all of the top five run national records.
For GB, its a 10th athletics medal in Paris, a fifth bronze on top of four silvers and Keely Hogkinsons sole gold.
A third bronze of the evening! The US take gold by a huge margin, running the second fastest time ever, not beating the Soviet Unions 1988 world record.
Anning is taken by the superstar that is Femke Bol in the final straight, but she holds off Ireland for bronze!
In second going into the final straight
Foregone conclusion for the US, France, Ireland and the Netherlands scrapping GB for a medal as Femke Bol takes on the last leg.
Jamaica have dropped the baton, one less contender for Britain as the US coast well clear. GB in fourth at present and falling back…
Ohuruogu is reeled in by the USAs Little, and hands over in fourth place behind the US, France, and Jamaica, work for Nielsen and GB to do here.
The last event of the evening and GB in lane seven to begin with, team as follows:
Victoria Ohuruogu, Laviai Nielsen, Nicole Yeargin, and Amber Anning. France qualify in third, USA in first, sandwiching the Britons. Come on great Britain!
That race was run in breathtaking pace, Rai Benjamins last leg, albeit from a running start, was just under world record pace – hes a hurdler by trade! Its an Olympic record for the US as they cross in 2 minutes 54 seconds, the subsequent five teams all running national records.
GB were out of it by the time Lewis Davey was on the back straight in the third leg, Matt Hudson-Smith failing to assert a significant advantage, or an advantage at all as an indictment of just how well Botswana and the US ran. Given Botswanas limited resource, running a relay that well is a truly remarkable achievement.
The moment McEwan and Kerr opted against sharing gold was icily brief, which you love to see. Kerr wins in the end, prevailing at 2.34m after McEwan fails it first. The subplot is that Qatars Essa Mutaz Barshim wins bronze, completing his medal set across four Olympics, solidifying himself as one of the best field athletes ever.
His Tokyo gold was a shared one, none of that today…
Botswana and the US were clear, 400m hurdles champion Rai Benjamin taking on the 200m champion Letsile Tebogo, and Benjamins endurance pays dividends!
In the back straight France are tripped, but no one was catching Charles Dobson who had daylight either side of him. Thrilling finish up top, straight forward medal for GB
200m champion Tebogo takes the baton behind the US, Britain behind in third
Its extremely tight between GB, Botswana, and the US as Lewis Davey takes the baton
Haydock-Wilson kicks us off in a joint lead, Botswana leading as Hudson Smith enters the back straight.
Britains team is as follows: Alex Haydock-Wilson, Matthew Hudson-Smith, Lewis Davey, Charles Dobson – Samuel Reardon and Toby Harries replaced by Haydock-Wilson and Lewis Davey.
USA have also replaced Quincy Wilson, the 16-year-old nearly costing his team with a poor baton exchange in the heats.
The bar is lowered after each failure and both men falter at 2.36 despite both clearing it earlier. Now to 2.34 which Kerr jumped first time earlier, McEwan passing on his third attempt…
The drama in the javelin is a bit subdued in comparison to the high jump, the athletes efforts curtailing as fatigue sets in.
Kitaguchis first throw of 65.80 was therefore enough for gold, South Africas Jo-Ane van Dyks third throw of 63.93m 25cm clear Czechias Nikola Ogrodnikova to finish off the podium.
No sharing this time, as opposed to Tokyo when Gianmarco Tamberi and Essa Mutaz Barshim shared it. The last failure countback rule has been ditched, the two speak briefly and refuse those pleasantries and theyll continue to jump for 2.38m – Kerr may regret abandoning his jump earlier when the pressure was off!
Rumours of a jump off…
The second of the joint Tokyo Champions, Qatars Essa Mutaz Barshim bows out at 2.36m, leaving the USA Shelby McEwan and New Zealands Hamish Kerr as the only two remaining. Its advantage Kerr given he jumped 2.34 first time, whilst McEwan needed all three attempts, so his gold is confirmed upon McEwans third fail at 2.38m.
He takes his last jump as a victory lap, looking for outright victory… and aborts the jump comically, diving under the bar! Its gold nevertheless!
You know what, Im just really happy with it. I ran the fastest I ever have, I cant ask any more. I ran perfectly what I wanted to. I just knew I had to run my own race, they went off so fast at the start.
I picked off so many people, unfortunately just 10m too short but I ran absolutely what I wanted to and fastest time I ever have.
I cant complain but congrats to Georgia – absolutely amazing.
I just know with my physiology I run my fastest times like that and they went so fast. I just knew if I did that Id be out the back door.
I had to run my own race and Im really glad I did that. I was patient and I dont know if I would have run much faster any other way. I ran the fastest I ever have.
I cant ask for any more and yeah that was the plan it worked unfortunately it wasnt quite fast enough.
Heres Bells medal moment, some finish, textbook. Muir finished strongly too but had given herself far too much to do.
It’s an unforgettable moment for Georgia Bell! She seals the bronze medal, with Faith Kipyegon winning her third consecutive Olympic 1500m gold #Olympics #Paris2024 #BBCOlympics pic.twitter.com/B0hFIh9UoO
BBC Sport (@BBCSport) August 10, 2024
Its her Olympic debut, and whilst Laura Muirs significant 1500m pedigree has understandably kept Bell on the periphery of British conversation, she did come fourth in this world championships, so this is no fluke. She was in disbelief either way, though:
Its an Olympic record and third straight Olympic gold for Kenyas Faith Kipyegon in the 1500m – she also won 5000m silver in Paris – what an athlete! Bell beats Muirs national record, the Scotswoman coming through in fifth. Bell seemed consigned to fourth with 100m to go but dug deep to overtake Ethiopias Diribe Welteji with about 10m to go, and very nearly beat Jessica Hull. That finish was all mentality, a thoroughly deserved medal against the odds.
Muir was bizarrely conservative in the first 900m, and the effort it took to get back in the pack was surely costly.
Its a medal for GB, but its come from an unexpected place! Fifth for Muir, Kipyegon in first as Australias Jessica Hull just about holds off Bells excellent sprint finish!
Muir has made her way back into the pack but it took some effort. Bell still there but Kipyegon has led from the start…
Unlike the mens 5000m, this race is off at a frantic pace and Muir is left by the wayside with two laps to go. georgia Bell still in the leading pack though.
One of Britains biggest medal hopes. Her third Olympic final as she looks to continue her rise from seventh in Rio, to silver in Tokyo. Faith Kipyegon from Kenya a clear favourite as the only woman to run sub 3 minutes 50 this year.
The three Ethiopians, including Hagos Gebrhiwet whose PB is 12.36, left it late before making their move and were left for dead with ease by Jakob Ingebrigtsen in effortless fashion. They never recovered, losing out on podium spots to Kenyas Ronald Kwemoi in second and the USAs Grant Fisher in third, both two seconds behind the Norwegian as five athletes came through between the 13.15 and 13.16 mark.
George Mills came second to last as a supplementary demonstration of the importance of race pace, his PB is 15 seconds quicker than Ingebrigtsens winning time but was out of the race with 1200m to go.
Gold, redemption for the Norwegian! A slow race really plays into his hands, he has plenty in the tank to coast clear in the last lap, it was a foregone conclusion with 150m to go. 13 minutes 13 is the winning time, 25 seconds slower than his PB but a seasonal best, which suggests all of his eggs were in the 1500m basket.
Nevertheless, the pace was pedestrian for this fields standards, and the shorter distant specialist had too much pace for anyone to compete with. He took considerable flak for his 1500m humiliation, this will feel good Im sure.
All three Ethiopians lead out, Ingebrigtsen the only man to keep up…
Hes gone from the front of the pack to the back in the space of about two laps, as two Ethiopian athletes put the pedal down to thin out the pack.
Ingebrigtsen is still there, if he can stay put his shorter distance speed may prove decisive.
Were about halfway through the race and the whole pack is still together, never a good sign when PBs in the field have a 25 second plus range. There are a few of these 13 sub-13 minute runners holding back here, heres hoping for a quick finish.
It does mean Belgiums John Heymans is still involved, which Im sure his mum will be delighted about…
Joint defending champion Gianmarco Tamberi is out of the high jump, failing to clear 2.27m, quite far away from the 2.37m he won Tokyo with. Frankly, he looks ghastly. Aesthetically, and competitively, it seems clear that the kidney stones rumours are true.
A certain Jakob Ingebrigtsen is lining up, looking to recover from his shock 1500m fourth place when he and Josh Kerr were beaten unexpectedly by Cole Hocker. He has plenty 5000m pedigree, winning world championships in 2022 and 2023 in it, notably recovering from disappointment in 1500m in the 2023 edition.
George Mills is also here, but its unlikely he can trouble Ingrebrigtsen or some of the East African favourites like Hagos Gebrhiwet of Ethiopia and Jacob Krop of Kenya.
Last nights womens 10,00m was frustratingly slow relative to the world records in that race, especially given four of the seven fastest women in history in that race were competing. There are 13 sub 13 minute men in this race, so hopefully it can live up to the considerable potential.
Astoundingly, thats Frances first medal of any colour in the track and field, its been a disappointing time in the Stade de France since Antoine Dupont led the rugby 7s team to gold there.
The Stade de France erupts!! Cyrena Samba-Mayela dips to the finish and the stadium were convinced shed got it but shes pipped by 0.01 seconds by the USAs Masai Russell. Camacho-Quinn was reeled in after establishing an early lead and takes bronze for Puerto Rico, beaten by 0.02 seconds to silver. Incredible finish.
No British interest in this, Cindy Sember falling in her semi-final to deny her what couldve been a very possible chance of a final. Three US athletes in the middle lanes here, as well as defending champion Jasmine Camacho-Quinn…
The womens javelin throwers are being introduced in this new, yet already ubiquitous boxing-like fashion. The mens competition was won by Pakistans Arshad Nadeem who threw a massive Olympic record of 92.97m to win, defending Indian champion Neeraj Chopra throwing four fouls from five attempts as he failed to live up to his countrys significant hype levels.
On his Olympics debut it was always going to be a different level today for the 22-year-old. Its a rapid final, four runners finishing in less than a second off David Rudishas 2012 world record, won by Rudishas Kenyan compatriot Emmanuel Wanyonyi.
He had to fend off significant interest from Canadas Marco Arop, with Algerias Djamel Sedjati finishing off the podium.
Burgin in the leading group at the bell but being left behind now as Frances home favourite Tual makes his move…
Max Burgin is out first in a stacked field. Algerias Djamel Sedjati has yet to lose in 2024, Emmanuel Wanyonyi is world number one whilst Spains Mohamed Attaoui has run sub one minute 45 in qualifying
A particularly flamboyant entrance from Tokyo champion Gianmarco Tamberi, who is favourite owing to fellow Tokyo champion Mutaz Essa Barshims injury concerns.
Its what the sport needs amidst ongoing talks to revolutionise athletics, with former 400m and 200m Olympic champion Michael Johnson suggesting a transformative grand slam format that draws inspiration from sports such as tennis and golf but excludes field events. Its something that the likes of Jazmine Sawyers and Jessica Ennis-Hill have publicly voiced concern about – approving the format but condemning the exclusion of field.
Tamberi briefly leaves the stadium, its rumoured he has kidney stones, but hes back now and will jump shortly.
The mens high jump is the first event of the evening, kicking us off at 18.00, featuring the joint defending Olympic champions Gianmarco Tamberi of Italy and Mutaz Essa Barshim of Qatar who has recovered from injury to jump for a fourth consecutive Olympic medal.
Max Burgin will run in the first race of the evening, the 800m scheduled for 18.15.
The javelin will then get under-way at 18.30, before the womens 110m hurdles at 18.35. Its then George Mills in the 5km scheduled for 18.50, followed by Laura Muir and Georgia Bell in the 1500m at 19.15.
Theres then a bit of a delay for some medal ceremonies and presumably the conclusion of the two field events, before the evening climaxes with the mens, then womens 4x400m relays from 20.00.
Good afternoon and welcome to a medal-saturated afternoon of athletics as the Stade de France hosts the penultimate day of Olympics action in Paris.
GBs start to the day in athletics has been a relatively good one, Emile Cairess fourth place in the marathon the best British finish in that race for 40 years. His stellar efforts havent produced a medal, but do show that Britain cant be written off from podium contention ahead of an afternoon that is looking slightly bleak in that regard.
Laura Muir is perhaps the strongest shot at an individual medal, the Scotswoman finished second in the 1500m in Tokyo but her qualifying time is a few seconds off the leading pace ahead of her race scheduled for 19.15 – she will run alongside Britains European Championship silver medallist Georgia Bell.
Theres plenty of fresh inspiration for Britains other runners – Team GB doesnt feature in the womens javelin nor mens high jump in the field – courtesy of a medal-laden evening yesterday. Max Burgin runs in the mens 800m, and will hope to replicate the PB that Katarina Johnson-Thompson ran in that race on her way to a long-awaited Olympic medal, her 5.72 second lead over Belgian athletics great Naffi Thiam not quite enough to secure gold.
Team GB also features in the two climax races of the evening, the men and womens 4x400m, and theyll try and emulate the bronze and silver that their respective 4x100m counterparts won last night. Theres no rain forecast in the Stade de France today, so baton changes can hopefully function a bit smoother. The mens 4x400m, led by individual silver medallist Matt Hudson-Smith, are in with a particularly good chance for gold having qualified in second, just over a second behind Botswana, whilst the women also qualified in second, but a bigger margin behind favourites USA.
Elsewhere, George Mills, son of former England footballer Danny, runs in the 5000m final having been reinstated after he fell in his heat – hes accompanied by the controversial Frenchman Hugo Hay, who he attributed the blame for that fall. Strap in and enjoy the last evening of Olympics athletics for four years!
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