Paris Olympics 2024: Yemisi Ogunleye wins women's shot put gold in her last throw

Yemisi Ogunleye also recorded her personal best on the last throw at the Paris Olympics 2024.

The world indoor silver medallist became Olympic champion at the Paris 2024 Games on Friday (9) as Yemisi Ogunleye achieved the outdoor throw of her life to take the title in the final round.

The German 25-year-old launched a 20.00m put on her last attempt to prevail in a battle with New Zealand’s Maddison-Lee Wesche, who threw a PB of her own – 19.86m – and secured silver. China’s Song Jiayuan claimed bronze by four centimetres ahead of USA’s Jaida Ross – 19.32m to 19.28m.

Ogunleye overcame an early slip to triumph, with the wet conditions at the start of the session proving a challenge. As Ogunleye released her shot in the first round, she slid and went down on her knee.

It didn’t seem to faze her, though, as she returned to the circle and managed 19.55m on her second attempt – two centimetres farther than she had ever previously thrown outdoors.

That followed a first valid mark of 19.58m for Wesche, who opened with a foul and then took the lead with her second attempt. The contest for the title would remain between those two athletes. 

Wesche, the 2018 world U20 champion and 2022 Commonwealth Games bronze medallist, backed up her 19.58m with 18.54m in the third round and 19.10m in the fourth.

Ogunleye, who fouled her third attempt, threw 18.75m in the fourth round before she launched herself into the lead with 19.73m in the fifth – 15cm farther than Wesche’s best throw at that point.

But Wesche wasn’t giving up without a fight. She was next in the circle and responded with 19.86m – adding five centimetres to the PB she set last month during a competition in Schonebeck, where she beat Ogunleye.

Wesche had regained the lead with one round to go. So Ogunleye returned to the circle with a medal secured but with an eye on upgrading her silver position to gold.

She released the shot and it flew out to exactly 20 metres, just 19cm off the outright PB she set to secure silver behind Canada’s Sarah Mitton at the World Indoor Championships in Glasgow in March.

As the implement hit the 20-metre tape, Ogunleye put her hands to her mouth and then fell to her knees when the distance was confirmed.

Wesche smiled and knew what she needed to do. But as her final throw was measured at 19.68m – her fourth 19 metre-plus throw of the contest – it wasn’t quite enough.

“My goal coming here was 20 metres,” said Ogunleye. “That was the distance that I threw just once in Glasgow. I knew I was capable of throwing such distances. In Olympic competitions, it is necessary to bring all the best you have because you only have this chance once.”

Reflecting on the moments after her final throw, she added: “I was just saying a prayer. It was the moment when I knew that if I have the faith, I am capable of doing more than I can think or ask for. In that moment, I just took all the energy that had left and just put it out there.”

Asked about the close competition, Wesche replied: “I’d like to think I thrive in those situations and Yemi came out on top. Just the better athlete on the day, but I’m happy with what I got.”

Song had moved herself into bronze medal position with 19.32m in the fourth round – a mark that put her just four centimetres ahead of NCAA champion Ross, whose best of 19.28m came from her opening attempt.  Song’s decision to stay in the sport had paid off. 

“I feel quite emotional now,” said the Tokyo Olympic fifth-place finisher. “This was unexpected. I guess I was a little lucky today. After it rained, I adjusted myself. With my technique, I couldn’t help but feel a little afraid of throwing in the rain. I just took it one shot at a time.

“Bronze is something I can be happy about with this season. I went through some lows in 2022 and 2023. In 2023, I basically never crossed the 19-metre mark. I doubted myself a lot, but I also felt I had it in me. At that time, I didn’t know what to do, but I also knew it would be silly to give it all up. I just thought: ‘There’s one more season to Paris 2024, so just go for it.’”

In a close contest, Song’s compatriot Gong Lijiao – the defending champion and two-time world gold medallist – finished fifth with 19.27m.

World leader Mitton, who threw a national record of 20.68m in May, was unable to challenge for another title to go with her world indoor gold as her best of 17.48m in the first three rounds was not enough to put her in the top eight and enable her to continue her campaign. The competition of USA’s Raven Saunders, who claimed silver in Tokyo, also came to an end at that stage.

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