The Paris sun beat relentlessly on the streets, scorching exposed skin and causing sweat to pour from bodies.
And that was just the spectators.
The women’s 20km race walk turned the picturesque Parisian streets into a brutal battleground. Watching the athletes, nearly wilting under the intense heat, as they charged around the 1km loop in the Trocadéro district and across the Pont d'Iéna, was a humbling experience.
Each medal earned at these Games was the result of years of sacrifice and rigorous training, but few were as hard-won as the bronze claimed by Jemima Montag in the sweltering heat of Thursday morning.
The petite Victorian, with circular sunglasses shielding her eyes, showed no signs of discomfort as she tackled the 20 challenging kilometers in conditions more reminiscent of Queensland’s summer than Melbourne’s usual roads.
Having finished sixth under similarly oppressive conditions in Tokyo and secured a silver medal at the 2023 World Championships, Montag was a top contender in Paris and delivered impressively.
With the Eiffel Tower looming in the background and crowds lining the route, the athletes competed with gladiatorial intensity. The race was not only against each other but also against the harsh conditions.
Scheduled to start at 9:50am local time due to the heat, the women’s race saw China’s Yang Jiayu take an early lead, which she maintained throughout.
“We weren’t expecting the race to be that fast,” Montag’s coach, Brent Vallance, told ABC Sport.
Montag played a crucial role in a developing chase pack, though the heat was beginning to take its toll.
“There were so many moments during that hour and a half when there were still so many women,” Montag said post-race. “It was hot, it was loud, the crowd was going absolutely crazy. I just kept pushing, ‘One more lap, one more lap.’”
“I could see the medal in my head and I was like, ‘It is OK, I don’t really want it.’ But then I heard my coach, ‘Get back on.’ When I started trying, people responded so well and I knew I could hold on.”
Spain’s María Pérez broke away from the pack, which dissipated as quickly as the puddles on the streets, with Montag chasing hard but unable to close the gap.
“Very nerve-wracking at times,” Vallance said. “We got a little distressed mid-race, but Jemima powered home strongly.”
Former triathlete Rebecca Henderson, who must have envied the River Seine below the Pont d'Iéna, admirably finished 31st, over eight minutes behind. Young Olivia Sandery, just 21, could not finish, succumbing to the harsh conditions and requiring a wheelchair.
It’s a testament to the athletes’ resilience that more did not falter in the sweltering heat.
Vallance expressed his “ecstasy” over Montag’s performance, noting that the heat would play to their advantage. “The conditions, with a bit of overcast skies this morning, were very hot. The race being pushed back 30 minutes was beneficial for us, given our heat preparation.”
“We were happy when the race got pushed back. We were happy when the sun came out. We know it’s very humid. We prepared well with our heat training and had many lessons learned from previous campaigns.”
The men’s race, won by Ecuador’s Brian Pintado, also faced steamy, oppressive conditions.