Aussie Liam Adams devastated by 'disappointing' marathon run on tricky Paris course
Updated . First published at
Australian Liam Adams was left "shattered" by his performance in the men's marathon at Paris 2024, finishing 49th in the race which was won by Ethiopian Tamirat Tola.
Adams — known as Australia's 'tradie marathon runner' — finished in a time of 2:13:33, seven minutes and seven seconds behind Tola's new Olympic record.
With the morning sun beating down, the field made the 42.195km journey from Paris to Versailles and back, which included 436 metres of elevation gain.
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Aussie Liam Adams was disappointed with his run in the men's marathon at Paris 2024. Nine
Asked how he fared on the course, Adams cut a disheartened figure as he acknowledged his struggle.
"Not too great," he told Nine's Tony Jones at the finish line.
"I got to the top of the hill and I wanted to bomb it down the hill and couldn't. (My) toes were just banging in the toe box and I just struggled the last 10km.
"It's pretty disappointing."
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As an electrition who fits his training around work, Adams could not see how his achievement outweighed the many sacrifices involved in pursuing his running dreams.
"You take some time off work — max out your annual leave and take some unpaid leave [to be here], and spend $13,000 in the prep, and to have a shocker like that is pretty disappointing," he said.
Liam Adams in action during the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games. Alex Pantling/Getty Images
Competing at his third Olympic Games, Adams admitted the race was not his best in the green and gold.
"When you put on the Australian singlet you want to give it your best shot and have the best race you possibly can, and I didn't feel like I did," he said.
"It's a bit shattering."
Jones encouraged Adams to look back at his performance with pride once the initial hurt wears off.
The 37-year-old led fellow countryman Andy Buchanan until the 40km-mark before the Bendigo school teacher finished strong to place 45th in a time of 2:12:58.
Patrick Tiernan led the Aussie contingent, crossing the line in 24th. He was four minutes and eight seconds behind Tola's pace.
So brutal were conditions that marathon legend Eliud Kipchoge failed to finish in his attempt to become the first man in Olympic history to win three gold medals in the marathon.
