Kenyan race walker Samuel Gathimba’s aspirations for an Olympic medal were dashed on Thursday morning as the Commonwealth bronze medallist finished 22nd in the 20km race walk at the ongoing 2024 Paris Olympic Games.
The event, the first athletics competition of the Games’ sixth day, saw the sole Kenyan entrant struggling to keep pace with the world’s elite.
Gathimba, a three-time African champion, had high hopes of adding an Olympic medal to his impressive collection. However, the intense competition proved too formidable. He initially maintained a strong position in the leading pack, but began to fade after the 15km mark.
At the outset, no race walker had managed to break away from the pack. By the 10km mark, Gathimba was in 16th place, trailing behind the leaders, which included defending champion Massimo Stano of Italy.
Stano initially showcased his prowess by taking the lead past the halfway point, but he was eventually outpaced by Ecuador’s Brian Pintado and Brazil’s Caio Bonfim, who clinched gold and silver respectively.
Alvaro Martin of Spain secured the bronze medal, while Stano, unable to defend his title, finished just off the podium in fourth place. Notably, no athlete has ever successfully defended a race walk title in the men’s Olympic competition.
Gathimba demonstrated resilience, advancing to 14th place at the 12km mark and briefly stepping up to 11th position at 14km. However, he appeared to struggle physically, dropping back to 14th place at 15km and eventually finishing 22nd.
His performance was affected by the stormy weather in Paris, which led to a half-hour postponement of the race, rescheduled from 8:30 am to 9:00 am East African Time.
A podium finish would have been historic for the 36-year-old Gathimba, making him the first Kenyan to win an Olympic medal in race walking.
Despite the setback, his determination and efforts at the Paris Olympics have garnered respect and admiration from fans and fellow athletes alike.
As Gathimba reflects on his performance, he remains a celebrated figure in Kenyan athletics, with his sights likely set on future competitions and the possibility of achieving his Olympic dreams.
