Paris 2024: Yemisi Ogunleye wins Olympic gold for Germany in women’s shot put

Germany’s Yemisi Ogunleye celebrates after winning the women’s shot put final of the athletics event at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at Stade de France in Saint-Denis, north of Paris, on August 9, 2024. (Photograph: Kirill KUDRYAVTSEV / AFP)

Germany’s Yemisi Ogunleye grabbed the gold medal in the women’s shot put at the Paris Olympics on Friday throwing her winning 20.00m with her final attempt.

Ogunleye’s effort took her past New Zealand’s Maddison-Lee Wesche, who threw 19.86, her personal best with her fifth throw, while Song Jiayuan took bronze with 19.32.

Ogunleye’s previous best performance was a silver in the world indoor championships in 2024, while she also collected a bronze in the European Championships in Rome in June.

There was disappointment for the USA with Jaida Ross finishing fourth while her team-mate Raven Saunders was eliminated after the three opening throws.

Tokyo gold medal winner Gong Lijiao of China, who also won silver in London and bronze in Beijing in 2008, finished fifth.

AFP