Nafi Thiam writes Belgium's most beautiful page in Olympic history!
With her third consecutive Olympic title, Nafi Thiam has achieved an unprecedented feat. Belgium's Noor Vidts also earned a spot on the podium.
The heptathlon is undeniably the most demanding discipline in athletics, and undoubtedly dedicated to the most all-round athletes. Competitors compete in the 100m hurdles, high jump, shot put, 200m, long jump, javelin and finally the 800m.
Nafi Thiam won with a total of 6,880 points ahead of Britain's Katarina Johnson-Thompson, the 2019 and 2023 world champion, who took silver (6844).
Noor Vidts won bronze, as she did at the European Championships in Rome last June, thanks to her 6,707 points, a new personal best. The two-time world (indoor) pentathlon champion missed out on the 3rd step of the podium by 19 points at the Tokyo Olympics.
Having already won titles at the Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2021 Games, ten days shy of her 30th birthday Nafi Thiam became the first athlete in history to become a triple Olympic champion in this discipline, which made its way onto the Olympic programme in 1984.
With two Belgians on the same podium, in the gold- and bronze-medal positions, Thiam and Vidts matched the performance of Remco Evenepoel and Wout van Aert in the cycling time trial event on 27 July.
With three gold medals at three consecutive Games, Thiam has made Belgian sporting history. No Belgian had ever won Olympic gold in three different Games!