At Paris’ Stade de France, Grant Fisher had a redemptive outing. After placing fifth in the 10,000 meters and ninth in the 5,000 at the Tokyo Olympics, Fisher spent three years of relentless dedication and grit working his way back to the top. Last year, while recovering from an injury that kept him out of the World Championships, all he could do was pedal away on a stationary bike and dream from his couch. But on the vibrant purple track in Paris, Fisher showed he was more than ready. As the 10k runners stormed into the final lap, Fisher, driven by sheer determination and a laser focus on history, powered forward. He secured bronze in the 10,000 meters with a stellar time of 26:43.46, also marking his season’s best. “I’ve been close to the medals before. But I haven’t gotten one until today.” But Fisher wasn’t stopping there.

Already holding the American records for both the 10,000-meter and 5,000-meter, he had the added pressure of becoming the first U.S. man to double-podium in both distance events. Grant Fisher found himself slipping to seventh in the bell lap in the 5K. No sweat—Fisher rallied to secure another bronze in the 5,000 meters. After his double bronze triumph, it’s clear Fisher wasn’t done pushing his limits!

Grant Fisher took on a new challenge at the 2024 Silesia Diamond League, stepping up to the 3,000-meter race. Unfortunately, it wasn’t his day as he struggled to find his rhythm and ended up 15th, missing the podium entirely. Reflecting on the race, Fisher candidly told FloTrack, “A third of the way through that race, man, my legs just fell apart. That was a really really rough race.”

Following his Olympic triumphs, Grant Fisher found it tough to fully bounce back from the intense strains of those races, which likely played a role in his Silesia performance. He shared, “I thought I was more recovered. I think, like, physically, I must be recovered. It’s been like, two weeks. But yeah, I don’t know.”

The 3,000-meter race at the Diamond League was a showcase of incredible talent, with Jakob Ingebrigtsen smashing the World Record with a jaw-dropping 7:17.55. Berihu Aregawi and Yomif Kejelcha raced to second and third place respectively, in a finish that was nothing short of electrifying. Despite not hitting the podium himself, Grant Fisher took it in stride. “Peaked out for the Olympics, which I have no regrets about. This might be the last one of the season. That was pretty rough,” he said.

Though the Silesia race didn’t go as planned, Grant Fisher’s sacrifices for Olympic glory left him with no regrets. And here’s a fun fact: while he’s now a track and field sensation, his journey didn’t start on the track—his first love was soccer!

Did you know Grant Fisher once left a race to chase soccer glory?

Grant Fisher’s journey to Olympic stardom began far from the track, on the soccer field, where he made a name for himself with the Michigan Wolves, a top youth club. His dedication to soccer was so intense that, even after finishing 45th in the Division 1 cross-country championship as a freshman in 2011, he opted to skip the state meet the following year to compete in the 2012 soccer Division 1 title game with Grand Blanc, which ended in a close 1-0 loss. But wait. There’s more!

Fisher’s commitment to soccer was evident; he was a standout player, and his parents, Sonia and Dan, initially envisioned a future for him in the sport. “They wanted me to be a soccer player because I thought I was going to be a soccer player,” Grant Fisher recalled. He was so focused on soccer that he hadn’t fully grasped his potential for running. It wasn’t until he was the third-fastest freshman in the state that he began to see running as more than just a secondary interest.

Despite his eventual pivot to running, Fisher’s time in soccer played a crucial role in developing his athleticism and cardiovascular strength, factors that contributed to his later success on the track. Reflecting on these revelations and Grant Fisher’s remarkable season, capped by a double bronze at the Olympics, what do you think of his final race of the season? Share in the comments below!