'Sounds a bit weird': How Aussie distance runner Patrick Tiernan reflects on confronting struggle at Tokyo Games
PARIS: Hours after the distressing scenes in which Australian distance runner Patrick Tiernan's Tokyo Games campaign ended, the Queenslander was understandably gutted about how his run in the men's 10,000m final had played out.
But three years on, as he readies himself for the marathon in Paris, he looks back on his confronting final lap "fondly" and with "pride".
Three times on his final lap, Tiernan collapsed in the sweltering Tokyo conditions. Three times, he staggered back to his feet.
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He willed himself over the finish line in 19th place, recording a time of 28:35.06.
"Frustration," Tiernan said hours after his embattled Tokyo run.
"It's a long way to come to fall, literally, fall short of your goal. In my head I was just like, 'Really?'.
"But at that point you have to get up and try and keep going."
Patrick Tiernan collapsing on the track in Tokyo. Getty Images
He has a totally different perspective as he prepares to line up on Saturday afternoon (AEST) at the Hotel de Ville de Paris, the starting location for the men's and women's marathons.
"Honestly, the more I look back the more I look back fondly of it, which sounds a bit weird, but I was in the race and I was having the race that I wanted for 24 laps," Tiernan told Wide World of Sports.
"I really only fell apart with 400 [metres] or even less than that to go, so I look back on it fondly in the sense that I did everything I could and put myself in a position to do what I wanted to do.
"It was just a bit of a misstep with the regime leading into the race, rather than the race itself.
Patrick Tiernan struggling over the finish line. Getty Images
"It was also a race where I went in with the mentality where I was going to put myself in a position to medal or bust. I pride myself on the fact that that's how I've always raced."
Tiernan raced in the 5000m on his Olympic debut at Rio 2016.
He was entered in the 5000m and 10,000m for the Tokyo Olympics, but withdrew from the 5000m after his brutal experience in the 25-lap event.
"People see it [Tiernan getting back up after collapsing] and think, 'That would be very hard to do', but I think if you put yourself in the same situation a lot of athletes would struggle not to try and get up ... because of how much work that goes into that," said the US-based runner.
"But at the same time, I think regardless of whether it's something that multiple athletes would do or not, I think it's to be admired, whether it's with me or our sport in general.
"It's the mentality we have; you need to get to the finish line."
Tiernan has stepped up to the marathon since the Tokyo Games and will join Australian teammates Liam Adams and Andy Buchanan on the start line in Paris.
A younger Patrick Tiernan in action at the 2017 World Athletics Championships in London. Getty Images
Buchanan replaced Robinson after the national record holder withdrew because of injury in late September.
Tiernan made his marathon debut at the Chicago Marathon in October 2022, clocking 2:11.02, then became the second-fastest Australian marathon runner in history at the Houston Marathon in February, completing the course in 2:07.45.
"My biggest goal [in Paris] is to just have a good experience," he said.
"... I want to execute what our race plan is, and that's not going to be finishing in the top eight or running 2:08; it's just about how I'm going to get my best result on the day. For me, if I can execute that plan well and feel like I'm finishing strong, I think that's probably the most important thing."
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