Drawing courage from her late grandmother in the city where she sought refuge after World War II, Australian Jemima Montag has overcome a number of setbacks to win brave Olympic bronze in the 20km walk.
Montag was in fifth place with five kilometres to go on a steamy hot Thursday morning in Paris, with a medal seemingly slipping out of her grasp.
But spurred on by her sister, who was shouting herself hoarse on the sidelines, the 26-year-old dug deep, overhauling two other walkers to claim bronze in one hour 26 minutes 25 seconds, breaking her own national record in the process.
Whenever she races, Montag takes inspiration from a bracelet given to her by her grandmother, a Holocaust survivor who ended up in Paris after being liberated from Auschwitz.
“I was feeling extra levels of strength and courage and resilience,” said Montag.
“(My grandmother) passed on all those amazing traits to my dad, who’s passed them on to my sisters and I.
“And today took all of those things.
“The course was one kilometre with a dogleg and cobbles, the noise was so loud where the crowd was.
“Different women were making different moves and I needed every bit of courage that I had. It comes from family.”
Chinese world record holder Yang Jiayu took the gold medal in dominant style in 1:25:54, breaking away early in the race and defying the efforts of the field to mow her down.
Maria Perez was second in 1:26:19 with Montag chasing the Spaniard hard all the way to the line, spurred on by Australian officials at the drinks station.
“That was very helpful, because often you start thinking about who is behind, particularly when you’re in a vulnerable position like third and you don’t want to lose that medal,” she said.
“So it was about staying hunting rather than feeling like the hunted.
“That was critical in getting closer and closer to silver and further and further away from fourth.”
The only other Australian women’s walker to secure a podium finish at Olympic level was Jane Saville, who was third in the same event at the 2004 Athens Games.
“It feels like I have made it (into the pantheon of Australian walking greats),” said Montag, a noted big-event performer who also won silver at last year’s world championships in Budapest.
“Saville, (Nathan) Deakes, (Jared) Tallent, (Kerry) Saxby – they are the names you grow up as a little athlete looking up to.
“Never in your wildest dreams would you imagine being up on that podium and at their level.”
Rebecca Hederson was 31st and fellow Australian Olivia Sandery did not finish the race in a difficult Olympic debut.
Earlier on Thursday, Brian Pintado from Ecuador won the first athletics title of the Paris Olympics, surging away in the final stages to claim gold in the men’s 20km walk.
Pintado clocked a winning time of 1:18:55, with the minor medals going to Caio Bonfim from Brazil (1:19:09) and Spaniard Alvaro Martin (1:19:11).
Australian Declan Tingay was with the lead group through the first 15km and hung tough to finish 11th in 1:19:56, one spot ahead of countryman Rhydian Cowley.
The third Australian, Kyle Swan, was 35th.
The walks were contested on a scenic 1km loop course going past the Eiffel Tower and finishing at the Trocadero.
Montag, Henderson, Tingay and Cowley will be backing up on Wednesday when the mixed marathon race walk relay is contested for the first time at Olympic level.
