Michelle Jenneke's 'insane' act leaves fans stunned at Olympics amid baffling Ebony Lane snub
The Aussie fan favourite has shown her grit and determination at the Olympics
Aussie fan favourite Michelle Jenneke has left the athletics world in awe after the hurdler opted to run her race with a ruptured hamstring tendon, while Ebony Lane has hit out at being snubbed for the women's 4x100m relay at the Olympics. Viewers were left shattered for Jenneke on day 12 of the Olympics when the popular hurdler went crashing down on the third barrier in the 100m race.
Jenneke was left stunned and admitted she felt her leg go during the race and she wasn't able to build the strength to leap the third barrier and went crashing down. The Aussie jumped to her feet and finished the race so she could qualify for the repechage. This gave her one more shot at qualifying for the final.
Many predicted Jenneke's Olympics may be over, but the Aussie mustered the determination to line-up for the repechage on day 13. The 31-year-old put on a performance and delivered her pre-race jiggle for the fans. And Jenneke managed to finish the race with a ruptured hamstring tendon in unbelievable scenes.
After the race, Jenneke admitted she ran with one good hamstring. Although Jenneke admitted she didn't want to bow out of the Olympics with a fall. "Honestly, firstly I'm really proud of myself," Jenneke said to Channel Nine.
"... I ran today with one less hamstring than usual and obviously that was pretty difficult, but ... I said to the doctor, 'Can I still run?'. I didn't want my Olympic campaign to end the way it was yesterday and I really just wanted to give it my all today.
"I knew that making that semi-final and running under 13 seconds missing one of your hamstrings is probably pretty impossible, but I wanted to prove to myself and the rest of Australia that I've got grit in me and I'm not going to give up easily. The general consensus was that it's a full rupture so I can't make that any worse, so provided I was still hurdling in a way that wasn't jeopardising other parts of my body, if I wanted to race then I had the all-clear to do that."
Jenneke took to social media after the race and admitted she was honoured to have competed in two Olympics for Australia. "Not the Olympics I had dreamed of. Unfortunately, I fully ruptured my hamstring tendon in my heat, causing me to hit a hurdle and take a big fall," she wrote. "Today was about not giving up and leaving no stone unturned. I gave it my all and honoured to now call myself a two time Olympian."
Not the Olympics I had dreamed of. Unfortunately I fully ruptured my hamstring tendon in my heat, causing me to hit a hurdle and take a big fall.
Today was about not giving up & leaving no stone unturned. I gave it my all and honoured to now call myself a two time Olympian ❤️ pic.twitter.com/sBDmCUWsQl— Michelle Jenneke (@MJenneke93) August 8, 2024
Michelle Jenneke defies pain to finish the Olympics on her feet
Jenneke admitted she wouldn't have run against official advice, but wanted to be there on the starting line to give her best for her country. "Everyone was pretty on board with me running today," Jenneke said.
"It's the Olympics and you do everything you can to show up on that start line. We knew it wasn't going to be fast; this one was all about proving what it takes to get back up." Aussie fans were left in utter awe of Jenneke's grit and determination in what could be her last Olympics.
Michelle Jenneke coming back and running the hurdles with a ruptured hamstring is absolutely insane. What incredible toughness #Olympics
— Jem Nash (@JemNash95) August 8, 2024
I've only watched 1/2 an hour of the #Olympics here & there, bit Jeez Michelle Jenneke makes you proud to be an Australian.
Ruptured a hamstring tendon when she fell yesterday, but saddled up again in the repechage anyway purely to compete for her country.. & did it all with a…— W.A.Dad (@grazinggoat66) August 8, 2024
Huge respect for Michelle Jenneke https://t.co/ZpabYHtGQi
— Joseph Kiran (@Josekiran30) August 8, 2024
What? Michelle Jenneke raced knowing her hamstring tendon was ruptured the day before. That's insane. 🤯
— Stuart McIntyre (@s_d_mcintyre) August 8, 2024
Ebony Lane left rocked after relay snub
Unfortunately it wasn't all smiles for the Aussie athletics team. Ebony Lane took to social media to express her shock at being left out of the 4x100m relay team for the Aussie women. The team selected Torrie Lewis, Ella Connolly, Bree Masters and Lane’s replacement Kristie Edwards ran for Australia and finished in fourth.
The Aussies ran a solid time of 42.75 in the race, but it wasn't enough to qualify after six of the eight countries in the heats finished with a quicker time. But there was drama before the race with Lane taking to social media to say she had no answers to why she wasn't selected. Lane has been part of the relay team that has broken the Australian record recently.
However, Edwards has also been part of the relay team in recent months. “Heartbroken...Not many answers as to why. I am fit, healthy and ready to go,” she wrote.
Bit of a shock with the women’s 4x100m relay set to kick off later today.
Ebony Lane, who has been a part of the team who has broken the Australian record multiple times recently, will not be selected to run. #Paris2024 pic.twitter.com/fXJaR6V9ws— Lachlan McKirdy (@LMcKirdy7) August 8, 2024