Djamel Sedjati takes bronze in 800m final as Algeria have their best Olympics

Runner clinches third place and joins gold medallists Kelif and Nemour

Algeria's Djamel Sedjati with his bronze medal after the 800m final at Stade de France on August 10, 2024. Getty Images

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Djamel Sedjati won a bronze medal in the 800m final in Paris on Saturday to help Algeria to achieve their most successful Olympic Games.

He joins gold medal winners Kaylia Neymour and Imane Khelif on the podium at these Games.

Pre-race favourite Sedjati was beaten by Kenya's Emmanuel Wanyonyi and world champion Marco Arop of Canada at the Stade de France on Saturday night.

Wanyonyi clocked a personal best of 1 min 41.19 secs, with Arop taking silver just one-hundredth of a second behind in a North American record. Sedjati finished in 1:41.50.

After the race, Wanyonyi, 20, said: "This race was tough for me. I felt more pressure because I knew it's not easy. Sedjati is not easy (to beat), he's a tough guy."

Sedjati said: "I won the bronze medal, but I wanted the gold medal.

"It was a very fast race. I didn't start very well, but I'm very happy with the medal after the medals from Kaylia Nemour in gymnastics and Imane Khelif in boxing.

"I'm very proud to bring home the third medal for Algeria. It's one of the fastest Olympic finals in history, with four runners on 1:41. I already did my maximum to ensure I got on the podium. I'm happy with this bronze medal."

Boxer Khelif defeated China's Yang Liu to win the final of the women's 66kg division to take gold on Friday night.

The 25-year-old, who has seen her campaign in Paris overshadowed by a gender controversy, defied her critics as she comprehensively outboxed Yang to earn a richly deserved unanimous decision in front of thousands of noisy Algerian fans at Roland Garros.

Khelif, who only started boxing eight years ago, scored again and again with her jab and backed it up with her signature straight right hand as she swept all three rounds 5-0 for the biggest win of her career.

"I'm very happy. For eight years this has been my dream and I'm now the Olympic champion and gold medallist," said Khelif. "I've worked for eight years, no sleep, eight years tired. Now I'm Olympic champion.

"I want to thank all the people who have come to support me. All the people from Algeria and all the people at my base. I want to thank all the team, my coach. Thank you so much."

Nemour produced "the performance of her life" to become the first Algerian and African to win an Olympic gymnastics medal with gold on the uneven bars on Sunday.

The 17-year-old took the title ahead of China's Qiu Qiyuan, with American Sunisa Lee snatching bronze with the final performance of the session. Defending champion Nina Derwael of Belgium finished fourth.

"I'm so shocked, it's the dream of all my life. I can't believe it has happened, I'm speechless," said Nemour.