Walking around Tokyo National Stadium, Kenyan journalists have been inundated by questions from colleagues from other countries as to who, between multiple world and Olympics 1,500 metres champion Faith Kipyegon, and Olympics 5000m and 10,000m champion Beatrice Chebet, will win women’s 5,000m title, never mind that the two are yet to compete in the preliminary stages of the race.
Each of them is a global star on her own right, and although both are here to win medals for Team Kenya, Kipyegon and Chebet are also here on different personal missions.
Kenya's Beatrice Chebet celebrates after winning the women's 10,000m gold at World Athletics Championships in Tokyo on September 13, 2025.
Photo credit: Reuters
Chebet’s stated desire is to be the first woman in the whole world to hold both the Olympics and world 5,000m and 10,000m titles at the same time. Chebet, who arrived here as the reigning Olympics 5,000m and 10,000m champion, added the world 10,000m crown to her medal collection on Saturday when she won the 25-lap race in 30 minutes and 37.61 seconds, earning Kenya her first her in Tokyo.
The 25-year-old holds the world record in 5,000m of 13:58.06 seconds that she set on July 5 at the 2025 Prefontaine Diamond League Meeting. She also holds the world record over 10,000m of 28:54.14, which she registered on May 25, 2024 at the Prefontaine Diamond League Meeting in Oregon.
Kenya's Faith Kipyegon celebrates with her gold medal and a Kenya flag after winning the World Athletics Championships women's 1500m final at Japan National Stadium, Tokyo, Japan on September 16, 2025.
Photo credit: Dylan Martinez | Reuters
“Today I am so happy. You know I don’t have a gold medal from the world championships, so I was like ‘Beatrice, you have to go for it’. I have a medal from the World Cross Country Championships, the Olympics, and now I am a world champion. I am so happy for myself. Today I stand here as a world champion, and I am so proud of myself,” Chebet said on Saturday after winning the 25-lap race.
On the other hand, Kipyegon, who won the 5,000m title at the 2023 World Athletics Championships in Budapest, is keen to retain the title here to cement her status as one of the greatest long-distance runners of her generation. On Tuesday, the 31-year-old took a giant step towards attaining that status by winning an unprecedented fourth world 1,500m title here when she clocked 3:52.15 to lead compatriot Dorcas Ewoi (3:54.92) to a 1-2 finish for Kenya. A former world record holder in 5,000m, Kipyegon currently holds the world record in 1,500m and the mile (1600m).
Kenya's Beatrice Chebet crosses the line to win the Women's 10,000m gold at World Athletics Championships in Tokyo on September 13, 2025.
Photo credit: Reuters
Although both athletes badly want the 5,000m title, they struck a friendly tone when asked about a possible meeting between them.
“I thank God that I have won a fourth world title. It has been my dream. Heading to the women’s 5,000m final, may the best athlete win,” Kipyegon said when asked about the prospect of competing against her friend and teammate Chebet in the 5,000m race.
“We are friends, but coming to the track, we will compete. We obviously come to the track to compete. If Faith wins, I will celebrate her. If I win, Faith will celebrate me. That is how things are in sports. I win today, someone wins tomorrow,” she said.
Kenya's Faith Kipyegon (centre) on her way to winning the women's 1500m semi-final race at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo on September 14, 2025.
Photo credit: Reuters
Today, Chebet, who is ranked number one in the world over the distance with a personal best time of 13:58.06, will compete in the first semi-final heat from 1.05pm alongside her compatriot Margaret Akidor, and Ethiopia’s Birke Haylom.
Kipyegon, who has a personal best time of 14:05.20, will compete in the second semi-final heat alongside 2023 World Cross Country Championships bronze medallist Agnes Jebet Ng’etich (14:01.29) from Kenya who also holds the world record in 10km, and defending champion Gudaf Tsegay from Ethiopia, who is also a former world record holder over the distance.
