Kenya’s Beatrice Chebet took Olympic gold in the women’s 5,000 metres at Paris 2024 after she sprinted home to win a dramatic race which saw Faith Kipyegon disqualified but then later reinstated.
The 24-year-old produced a thrilling finish to cross the line in 14 minutes and 28.56 seconds ahead of compatriot Kipyegon.
The reigning world champion was quickly stripped of her silver medal for obstruction during a clash with Gudaf Tsegay.
However, Kipyegon was eventually reinstated in second place following a successful Kenyan appeal to World Athletics.
There was a third medal for Kenya on Monday as Mary Moraa took bronze in the women’s 800m final, with Ethiopia’s Tsige Duguma winning silver behind Great Britain’s Keely Hodgkinson.
Drama for Kipyegon
Chebet, the runner-up at the 2022 World Championships in Eugene and a bronze medallist in Budapest last year, hung in with Kipyegon through much of the 5,000m final.
Kipyegon moved to the front with four laps to go but then clashed with Tsegay with just over two laps remaining as the Ethiopian world record holder took over the lead.
Chebet kept her composure and remained on the heels of Kipyegon as the latter led at the bell, and then timed her move to perfection as she powered to gold on the home straight.
She smiled widely as she crossed the line after an exhausting performance which delivered her country’s first medal of the Games in the French capital.
Chebet hugged and cheered with Kipyegon as the pair donned Kenyan flags to wild cheers from the packed Stade de France.
It quickly became clear, however, that Kipyegon would not join Chebet on the podium as her name disappeared from the results list and she was later marked disqualified, dissolving the joy.
Sifan Hassan of the Netherlands was upgraded to second, with Italy’s Nadia Battocletti handed bronze.
Appeal successful
Yet Chebet, chatting to reporters, felt that Kipyegon would be reinstated following her clash with Tsegay.
“It wasn’t Faith’s fault,” she said.
“I was behind them and Faith was in the inside lane. Gudaf tried to get into Faith’s lane.
“Faith had to use her hand to tell Gudaf ‘Don’t push me’. It wasn’t Faith’s fault, she lost her balance and tried to avoid stepping out of the track.”
And, almost two hours after the race had finished, Kipyegon was reinstated in silver medal position, bumping Hassan back down to third as a World Athletics jury ruled the incident did not warrant a disqualification.
However, Kipyegon has been issued with a disciplinary yellow card which she will carry for the rest of the Games.
Hassan, who is also competing in the 10,000m and marathon at these Olympics, accepted the outcome of the appeal.
“I am really happy that Faith gets her medal back,” the Dutch athlete said.
“I don’t really feel like I really deserved the silver. I don’t wish for medals I did not win.
“I love my bronze medal, it doesn’t matter to me what medal I get or position I finish as long as there is fairness”.
Kipyegon will now quickly need to refocus on her bid to win a third consecutive Olympic gold in the women’s 1500m.
The 30-year-old is scheduled to return to the track on Tuesday morning in the second of three heats in round one.
“I wanted to run both races because I like it,” Kipyegon said.
“This is my first time doubling at the Olympics. I step on the track and just run my race, we will see what is possible.”