podium finish

Meanings

1. 1nouncountable

   a result in a race or competition that puts someone among the top three finishers

   Grammar: Countable: you can say 'a podium finish' or 'several podium finishes'.

   Patterns

   • a podium finish in something
   • score a podium finish
   • record a podium finish

   She earned her first podium finish in the marathon last Sunday.

   The team celebrated a podium finish in the final race of the season.

   He has three podium finishes so far this year.

2. 2nounsingular

   the act of finishing a race or event in one of the top three positions

   Grammar: Often used after verbs like 'get' or 'secure': secure a podium finish.

   Patterns

   • secure a podium finish
   • get a podium finish
   • miss a podium finish

   The driver secured a podium finish after a dramatic last lap.

   They missed a podium finish by just two seconds.

   A podium finish would qualify her for the national team.

Word forms

Common combinations

earn a podium finish

He earned a podium finish in his very first professional race.

first podium finish

Her first podium finish came at the age of nineteen.

podium finish in the championship

The team is aiming for a podium finish in the championship.

celebrate a podium finish

Fans gathered to celebrate the podium finish.

Synonyms and how they differ

top-three finish

A more literal way to say the same thing; 'podium finish' is more idiomatic in sports reporting.

medal finish

Used when the top three receive medals, as in the Olympics; not all podium finishes award medals.

Word family

podium noun

the raised platform where the top three competitors stand

finish noun

the end of a race or the position at the end

Commonly confused: podium finish or podium position?

Practice

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