Gary Lemke looks back at a jam-packed sporting weekend as USA sprinter Noah Lyles became the fastest man in the world, while Novak Djokovic clinched gold to add to his GOAT status.
SCHEFFLER PRODUCES WHEN IT COUNTS
Those who say that the Olympics don’t matter as much as golf’s Majors should try telling that to Jon Rahm. The Spaniard had the gold medal in one hand heading into the final nine holes on Sunday, but fell to pieces as he dropped five shots in three holes (Nos12-14) and ruined his chances.
It was left to world No1 Scottie Scheffler to cut through the field like a knife through hot butter with a closing 63 and add the Olympic gold medal to his impressive trophy room. Great Britain’s Tommy Fleetwood again came up short, one behind, with Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama taking bronze. The winning score was 19-under-par 265.
What it means ❤️ pic.twitter.com/bKNLBDN7PE
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) August 4, 2024
DJOKOVIC ADDS TO GOAT STATUS
It also had a Grand Slam feeling when Novak Djokovic saw off Carlos Alcaraz to win the Olympic gold medal in front of a capacity Roland Garros crowd. The 37-year-old, the man they call the GOAT, dominated the tiebreakers to win 7-6 (7-3), 7-6 (7-2) and was a reversal from the Wimbledon final when the 21-year-old Spaniard himself won in straight sets.
If you asked either player what he cherished more you might have opposite answers. Djokovic will savour this gold because he now joins Steffi Graf, Andre Agassi, Rafa Nadal and Serena Williams as golden slam winners (four Majors plus Olympics). What is clear is that Alcaraz will get another Olympic opportunity in four years time, and who knows how many Grand Slams he will have totalled by then.
Novak Djokovic:
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) August 4, 2024
“This supersedes everything I imagined and hoped I could experience and feel. The fact I won the Bronze in the first Olympics & ever since failed to win a medal… this is probably the biggest sporting success I’ve had in my career.” 🥇
pic.twitter.com/RYAA7LOquq
LYLE SPRINTS TO OLYMPIC 100M GOLD
It’s official. Noah Lyles is the fastest human being on earth. We knew that, sort of, heading into Sunday’s semi-final and final at the Paris Olympics, but the star American rubber-stamped that in front of 80,000 people at the Stade de France.
Lyles has been referred to as the rock star of the sport, a showman who is the latest trying to fill the giant void left by Usain Bolt. His time of 9.79 was enough to claim the gold medal, albeit in a photo finish involving seven athletes. It. Was. Insane. Akani Simbine? What can one say? Again, the cruellest place in all sport – fourth in an Olympic final, in a national record 9.82.
Noah Lyles wins by five THOUSANDTHS of a second 😱#BBCOlympics #Olympics #Paris2024 pic.twitter.com/1s3nK9SIXn
— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) August 4, 2024
THE OTHER SIDE OF PARIS 2024
There have been a few things at the Olympics that have, um, caught the eye. And in French pole vaulter Anthony Ammirai’s case, another part of his anatomy. The 21-year-old has achieved overnight fame and new fans after, um, dislodging the bar with his “privates” on the over down.
He’s probably got more admirers now than if he had won gold … female boxer Imane Khelif of Algeria is assured of a medal and has been the centre of a storm regarding her gender. My only comment is why the fuss now? She has previously competed at international level and has actually lost nine times to female boxers.
French pole vaulter Anthony Ammirati's unsuccessful attempt to reach the final has gone viral on social media: he missed his target height and knocked down the pole with his crotch.
— NEXTA (@nexta_tv) August 4, 2024
Anthony will not be able to compete for gold, but his Instagram was filled with new female fans. pic.twitter.com/VDMNDVypoV
BITTERSWEET AS MARTIN TAKES MOTO GP LEAD
Ducati’s Enea Bastianini took his first MotoGP win of the season in the British Grand Prix, the Italian rider capitalising on a late-race error by Spaniard Jorge Martin to become the 10th different winner at Silverstone in the past 10 years.
Martin reclaimed the lead of the world championship by three points over Francesco Bagnaia, who crashed from the 10-lap sprint and had his four-race winning streak broken. South Africa’s Brad Binder was one of four riders who did not finish.
P2 - 👴🏻 Vintage feels good! #75years #MotoGP pic.twitter.com/VwcCYV0YEb
— Jorge Martín Almoguera (@88jorgemartin) August 4, 2024
AROUND THE WATER COOLER…
There was a rare, possibly first (?) sequence of results in 132 years of Currie Cup history with two high-scoring draws. The Pumas and Sharks finished 44-44, while the Cheetahs and Bulls ended 34-34. Elsewhere, Western Province beat the Griffons 34-17 and the Lions edged Griquas …
Pirates and Stellenbosch reached the MTN8 semi-finals and will wait until next week’s set of fixtures to see who they will meet in the last four. Both Pirates and Stellenbosch won their matches 3-1.
