Uganda’s Joshua Cheptegei, three times a world 10,000m champion, became Olympic 10,000m champion tonight in the first track and field final of the Paris 2024 Games to take place in the Stade de France.

So great was the noise generated by the crowd at the close of this constantly fluctuating race that the bell could barely be heard as the Ugandan set an Olympic record of 26:43.14.

Fast-finishing Ethiopian Berihu Aregawi earned silver in 26:43.44 while USA’s Grant Fisher maintained his form to take bronze in 26:43.46.

The packed stadium raised the decibel levels to ear-buzzing proportions during the first of the mixed 4x400m heats, honouring a stunning effort from the United States quartet of Vernon Norwood, Shamier Little, Bryce Deadmon and Kaylyn Brown as the latter came home 40 metres clear in a world record of 3:07.41 that shattered the previous mark of 3:08.80 set by an entirely different US quartet at last year’s World Championships.