Mohammed Gammoudi

2.2.1. 1964 Tokyo Olympics

Although still relatively unknown when he arrived at the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan, Gammoudi had shown promise by participating in the pre-Olympic Tokyo International Sports Tournament the previous year, where he finished third in the 10,000 meters and fourth in the 5,000 meters.

In the Olympic 10,000 meters final, Ron Clarke of Australia, the world record holder and favorite, maintained a fast pace throughout the race. As the final lap approached, only Gammoudi and Billy Mills from the United States remained as his main rivals. In the home straight, Mills, Clarke, and Gammoudi exchanged leads. With 164 ft ^{(50 m)} to go, Gammoudi was in the lead, but Mills surged past him to claim the gold medal. Gammoudi earned the silver medal, marking Tunisia's first Olympic medal, with a time of 28:24.8, which was the fourth fastest in the world at the time.

Two days later, Gammoudi competed in the 5,000 meters. He won his heat, outperforming strong competitors including Robert Schul and Harald Norpoth, who would go on to win gold and silver in the final. However, due to blisters, Gammoudi was forced to withdraw from the final, a decision for which reasons were never fully explained.

2.2.2. 1968 Mexico City Olympics

The 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City, Mexico, presented a unique challenge due to its high altitude, which affected long-distance runners. Although not from a high-altitude region himself, Gammoudi prepared by undergoing altitude acclimatization training. He had previously won both the 10,000 meters and 5,000 meters at the pre-Olympic Mexico International Sports Tournament.

In the 10,000 meters final, the lead changed hands multiple times, with a large group maintaining a steady pace for much of the race. By the bell lap, the leading group had narrowed down to three: Gammoudi, Naftali Temu of Kenya, and Mamo Wolde of Ethiopia. In the final lap, Temu and Wolde launched a powerful sprint, leaving Gammoudi behind. He finished with the bronze medal, clocking 29:34.2.

Two days later, Gammoudi qualified for the 5,000 meters final, finishing second in his heat behind Kip Keino of Kenya. In the final, with two laps remaining, Gammoudi took the lead, overtaking Ron Clarke. Keino and Temu, both Kenyan athletes, followed closely. The final lap was run at a furious pace. Although the two Kenyans attempted to pass him, Gammoudi maintained his lead, running the last lap in an impressive 54.8 seconds. He held off Keino in a head-to-head sprint in the final straight, securing his first Olympic gold medal with a time of 14:05.0.

2.2.3. 1972 Munich Olympics

At the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, West Germany, a 34-year-old Gammoudi was still considered a favorite in both the 5,000 meters and 10,000 meters events. In the 10,000 meters heats, he set a personal best of 27:54.8, topping his heat.

In the 10,000 meters final, a tightly bunched group of nine runners was moving at a pace faster than the world record just before the 15 K ft ^{(4.60 K m)} mark. Disaster struck when Lasse Virén of Finland stumbled and fell, causing Gammoudi to trip over him. While Virén quickly recovered and went on to win the race, Gammoudi took much longer to get back on his feet. After running for a lap and a half to try and close the 328 ft ^{(100 m)} gap that had opened between him and the leaders, he ultimately dropped out of the race.

In contrast to the fast pace of the 10,000 meters, the early stages of the 5,000 meters final were run at a very slow tempo. Gammoudi remained prominent in the tightly packed group for the first 9.8 K ft ^{(3.00 K m)}. The pace significantly increased in the last 6.6 K ft ^{(2.00 K m)}, with Virén and American champion Steve Prefontaine breaking away from the pack. The final mile turned into an all-out sprint. In his last major competitive race, Gammoudi was narrowly beaten by Virén by approximately 33 ft ^{(10 m)}, securing the silver medal with a personal best time of 13:27.4. This marked his third consecutive Olympic Games with a medal.