Peerless Faith Kipyegon stamps her authority over 5,000m in Kenyan trials
Faith Kipyegon in full stride on her way to victory in the women's 5000m finals during Athletics Kenya trials for the Olympic Games on June 14, 2024 at Nyayo National Stadium.
What you need to know:
- Kipyegon is the favourite to win the 1,500m final scheduled for Saturday.
- It was Chebet and Kipyegon’s first encounter since the World Athletics Championships.
World champions and record holders, Faith Kipyegon and Beatrice Chebet, have set the stage for competing in two different races at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games after beating a rich field in the women’s 5,000 metres final at the Kenya trials held on Friday.
In the end, two-time Olympic 1,500m champion Kipyegon asserted her supremacy, scorching the red tartan at the Nyayo National Stadium to win in 14 minutes and 46.28 seconds.
After staying in the leading pack, Kipyegon, the world 5,000m and 1,500m champion, hit the front with four laps to go to prevail, edging out Chebet, the world cross country and world 5km champion, to second place in 14:52.55.
The two sealed the first two automatic places in Kenya’s 5,000m team for the Olympics. In Paris, the two will be tasked with recapturing the Olympics title that Kenya lost to Dutchwoman Sifan Hassan at the 2021 Olympics held in Tokyo.
Margaret Chelimo finished third in 14:59.39, but she must wait for the final word from Athletics Kenya’s panel of selectors to learn her fate with regard to doubling up at the Olympics, having also sealed an Olympics ticket in the women’s 10,000m team.
Kipyegon, who holds world records in the One Mile (4:07.64) and 1,500m (3:49.11), is the favourite to win the 1,500m final scheduled for Saturday.
Should she win, she will qualify to compete in the women’s 5,000m and 1,500m races at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.
In Paris, the 30-year-old Kipyegon will be aiming at winning a third Olympics 1,500m title after her previous victories in 2016 (Rio de Janeiro) and 2021 (Tokyo) editions of the Olympic Games.
Faith Kipyegon leads Beatrice Chebet in the women's 5000m finals during Athletics Kenya trials for the Olympic Games on June 14, 2024 at Nyayo National Stadium.
Chebet, who was fresh from winning the 10,000m national trials at the Prefontaine Classic in a world record time of 28:54.14, can now focus on doubling up in the two races in Paris.
It was Chebet and Kipyegon’s first encounter since the World Athletics Championships held in Budapest, Hungary in August last year. Kipyegon won gold while Chebet, who had claimed silver at the 2022 World Athletics Championships in Oregon, settled for bronze.
“Thank God for the good race. I have stayed away from competition for almost eight months, and I know my fans were worried about where I was and wanted me to come out,” Kipyegon told Nation Sports at Nyayo National Stadium on Saturday.
She declared that she is ready to roll at the Paris Olympics.
“I want to finish the work tomorrow in the 1,500m, which is my favourite race, so that I can focus fully on my preparations. I still got some discussion to do with my coach to firm up things with regard to doubling up in the two races,” said Kipyegon, who thanked her fans and team for being supportive when she suffered a muscle injury in May.
Kipyegon was happy with her partnership with Chebet, saying her dream is for Kenya to sweep the podium places in 5,000m in Paris.
“We shall run our race and embrace teamwork. It’s absolutely possible for a sweep if we work together,” said Kipyegon.
Faith Kipyegon (left) celebrates with Margaret Chelimo after her victory in the women's 5000m finals during Athletics Kenya trials for the Olympic Games on June 14, 2024 at Nyayo National Stadium.
“It’s a great day for me to have sealed another place in team Kenya for Paris after qualifying in the 10,000m. It wasn’t easy having run a world pace in 10,00m and compete here,” Chebet, 24, said, adding that she can now fully focus on her preparations for a double up in Paris.
“I know everything will fall in place well since I won’t be the first person to double up,” said Chebet.
Vivian Cheruiyot handed Kenya its first Olympic gold medal in 5,000m at the 2016 Rio Olympics.
Meanwhile, Rukia Nusra shattered her own 100m hurdles national record, clocking 13.67 seconds, to erase her previous time of 13.70 set during an Athletics Kenya meeting in January this year at the same venue.
The Paris Olympic Games qualifying time is 12.57.
There were nervous moments when world 800m silver medallist Emmanuel Wanyonyi was tripped on the home straight to finish his 800m semi-final in sixth place in 1:51.76.
However, Wanyonyi appealed and was successful but received a yellow card to proceed to the final alongside Collins Kipruto, who tripped him. The final will now have 10 athletes.
National champion Alex Ng’eno (1:46.94), African Games champion Aron Cheminingwa (1:47.20) and Laban Chepkwony (1:46.21) won their respective 800m semi-finals. ends
