Kenya's Chebet wins women's 5,000 metres gold medal as Kipyegon gets silver reinstated

Beatrice Chebet of Kenya, aged 24, secured victory in the women's Olympic 5,000 meters, executing a remarkable performance that allowed her to outpace her fellow countrywoman, Faith Kipyegon, who had her silver medal reinstated after a controversial disqualification.

Chebet completed the race in 14 minutes and 28.56 seconds, while Sifan Hassan from the Netherlands initially finished with a silver time of 14:30.61, and Italy's Nadia Battocletti earned bronze with a time of 14:31.64.

Chebet's exhilarating finish marked the first medal for Kenya at the Paris Olympics, and she beamed with joy as she crossed the finish line following a grueling effort.

Kipyegon, the reigning world champion, had originally placed second with a time of 14:29.60 but faced disqualification due to an incident involving Ethiopian world record holder Gudaf Tsegay during the penultimate lap.

However, her silver medal was later restored after a successful appeal by the Kenyan delegation, which resulted in Hassan being relegated to the bronze position and Battocletti being removed from the podium.

"Congratulations to Faith Kipyegon; her silver medal has been reinstated," stated Athletics Kenya on the social media platform X.

"Kenya's team officials, including Milka Chemos, Bernard Ouma, and Team Manager Peter Angwenyi, effectively appealed and won her case."

Chebet, who finished as the runner-up at the 2022 World Championships in Eugene and secured a bronze medal in Budapest last year, established an early lead and maintained her position alongside Kipyegon for a significant portion of the race before accelerating past her as they approached the final bend.

Hassan, the Tokyo champion, found herself in fifth place as she entered the last 400 meters and made a determined effort to retain her Olympic title, yet she was unable to keep pace with the Kenyans as they navigated the final turn.

Following the race, Chebet embraced and celebrated with Kipyegon, both athletes proudly displaying Kenyan flags to the enthusiastic cheers of the crowd at the Stade de France.

However, it soon became evident that Kipyegon would not be joining Chebet on the podium, as her name was removed from the results, leading to her subsequent disqualification.

"I feel very sad for Faith, and I hope that justice prevails. She has done nothing wrong," Chebet expressed to the media. "I believe she will ultimately receive the medal."

Hassan was seen squinting at a monitor displaying the results while Battocletti stood nearby, creating a perplexing scene just moments after the race concluded.

"I'm happy for you all, but for me, it doesn't matter," Hassan remarked.

The Dutch athlete is set to continue her demanding campaign in Paris, with both the 10,000 meters and the marathon on her schedule.

"This is my ambitious endeavor; I simply want to finish it. I am aware that others have participated in three events before, but not in both the 10,000 meters and the marathon. I am very curious," Hassan stated.

"Will I make it to the podium? Will I even be able to finish the races? I am battling with myself."