Kenya’s Beatrice Chebet won the gold in the women’s 5,000m on Monday with a final dash to the line in a race that featured burst of late drama that extended into post-race controversy.
Chebet sprinted to the finish in 14:28.56 with fellow Kenyan Faith Kipyegon in second (14:29.60) and the Netherlands’ Sifan Hassan in third (14:30.61). But Kipyegon was disqualified after making contact with Ethiopia’s Gudaf Tsegay, the world-record holder in the event.
Tsegay surged to the front of the pack with just over 100m left before the final lap and bumped into Kipyegon, who pushed her aside.
Chebet would ultimately hold off the field for the win, but Hassan was elevated to the silver and Italy’s Nadia Battocletti took bronze (14:31.64) after Kipyegon was disqualified. She was reinstated after an appeal, awarded the silver, with Hassan bumped back to third.
The race was tight and predictably slower earlier on as Hassan, the Tokyo Olympic champion, tucked at the back of the field. Hassan made a decisive move shortly after the bell lap and spend most of the final 400m checking over her shoulder while in a chase to catch Chebet and Kipyegon. The 5000m is the first of three events she is scheduled to run in Paris, with the 10,000m and marathon in the coming days.
But for Chebet, the celebration of her final boost to capture the gold took a slight detour as she told reporters — before the reinstatement was announced — that she was optimistic Kipyegon would win her appeal.
“I am so sad for Faith and I hope justice will be done. Because Faith did not do anything bad,” she said. “I think she will get it in the end.”
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