- Alan Hatherly secured a bronze medal in the cross-country event at the 2024 Paris Olympics, marking Team SA’s second medal.
- Hatherly is a renowned mountain biker with a history of significant achievements.
- Team SA has earned two bronze medals so far in the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Alan Hatherly clinched a bronze medal for Team South Africa in the cross-country event at the 2024 Paris Olympics, adding to the country’s medal tally.
Alan Hatherly wins medal at 2024 Paris Olympics
Hatherly finished behind Britain’s Thomas Pidcock, who impressively regained the lead twice, and France’s Victor Koretzky.
This achievement marked South Africa’s first Olympic cycling medal since Melbourne in 1956.
Hatherly showcased a remarkable performance, starting strong and leading early in the race.
Despite being pushed back to seventh position at one point, he continued to press forward, eventually securing third place with a comfortable gap behind him.
Pidcock, the race favourite, experienced a temporary setback with a wheel change, allowing Hatherly to move into second place briefly before Pidcock regained the lead.
Hatherly was one of three medal hopefuls for Team SA on the day, with swimmers Tatjana Schoenmaker and Pieter Coetze still to compete.
Five things we know about Alan Hatherly
- Professional Career: Alan Hatherly, born on 15 March 1996, is a professional mountain bike racer from South Africa. He has been competing at an elite level for several years, representing various teams including Team Spur, Specialized Factory, and currently Cannondale Factory Racing.
- Olympic Appearances: Hatherly competed in the cross-country event at the 2016 Summer Olympics, finishing in 26th place. He returned to the Olympics in 2020 and now again in 2024, where he secured a bronze medal with a time of 1:26:33.
- Major Achievements: In addition to his Olympic success, Hatherly won a bronze medal at the 2018 Commonwealth Games and was crowned the Under-23 Cross Country World Champion in the same year.
- Road Cycling: Since 2023, Hatherly has also ventured into road cycling, joining the UCI Continental team EF Education-Nippo Development Team. This diversification highlights his versatility and ambition as an athlete.
- Resilience and Determination: Hatherly’s journey is marked by perseverance and a relentless pursuit of excellence. His latest achievement at the Paris Olympics is a testament to his dedication and hard work in the sport of mountain biking.
How many medals does Team SA have at the 2024 Paris Olympics?
As of now, Team South Africa has won two bronze medals at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
The first was earned by the men’s rugby sevens team and the second by Alan Hatherly in the cross-country mountain biking event.
The men’s rugby sevens team had an impressive performance, securing their bronze medal after a series of challenging matches.
Hatherly’s medal adds to the country’s achievements and boosts the morale of Team SA as they continue to compete in various events.