Australian Duo Wins Bronze in Mixed Relay Race Walk at Paris Olympics

In an exciting turn of events at the Paris Olympics, Jemima Montag and Rhydian Cowley made history by claiming the bronze medal in the very first Olympic marathon race walk mixed relay. With spectators cheering on from the sidelines, the picturesque backdrop of the Eiffel Tower added to the atmosphere.

Cowley kicked things off by leading the team during the first leg, finishing in ninth place. Then, Montag exhibited her speed and determination, taking the lead around the halfway point. Cowley returned for the third leg, and by the end of it, the Australians were in fourth place, setting the stage for a thrilling finale.

Montag, 26, put in an impressive performance during the final leg, ultimately finishing with a time of 2 hours, 51 minutes, and 38 seconds, which secured the bronze medal for the Australian team.

Montag reflected on the event, stating, “It was all about teamwork today… when I lost motivation to do it for myself, it was about doing it for Rhyd and doing it for our coach who was going bonkers on the sidelines.” This camaraderie truly showed in their performance.

This was Cowley’s first medal at the Olympics, despite it being his third appearance at the Games. He expressed his disbelief about winning a medal, sharing the joy with Montag.

While other Australian athletes, Declan Tingay and Rebecca Henderson, finished in 22nd place, the gold went to Spain’s Alvaro Martin and Maria Perez, with the silver medal awarded to Ecuador‘s Brian Daniel Pintado and Glenda Morejon.

Montag had previously won bronze in the women’s 20km walk just six days before this event. She noted that the relay was both challenging and exhilarating, saying, “In some ways it was harder, but in other ways, I had so much more adrenaline with it being my first ever team event.”