Kenya’s track sensation Faith Kipyegon ensured her dreams of claiming double gold at the ongoing Paris 2024 Olympics were kept alive as she breezed to the women’s 5000 metre final set for Monday (5) after winning Heat 1 of the women’s semis on Friday evening.
Stacked up against Dutch ace Sifan Hassan, the reigning 5000m Olympic champion, and world record holder Gudaf Tsegay from Ethiopia, Kipyegon held her own as she clocked 14:57.56 to take first place ahead of Hassan who timed 14:57.65.
Italy’s Nadia Battocletti came in third ahead of Kenya’s Margaret Kipkemboi who also booked her ticket to the finals in what is her first appearance at the Olympics.
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In Heat 2, the fast-rising Beatrice Chebet, who is also making her debut at the Paris Games, signalled her intent after clocking 15:00.73 to win ahead of Ethiopia’s Eisa Madina.
Japan’s Yamamoto Yuma got Heat 1 off to a storming start as she opened a huge margin upfront in the early parts of the race.
However, with four laps to go, the rest of the pack closed the gap on the 24-year-old as the race got into its business end with the top guns taking up positions upfront.
Kipyegon took the lead with around 1600m left and never looked back as she crossed the line first ahead of Hassan, Battocletti and Kipkemboi.
Faith Kipyegon
Tsegay, Taye Ejgayehu, Cranny Elise and Karissa Schweizer completed the top eight positions in Heat 1 who booked their places in the final.
In Heat 2, Chebet and Madina were joined by Rose Davies, Karoline Grovdal, Francine Niyomunkunzi, Morgan Whittni, Natalie Blomqvist and Joselyn Brea.
ALSO READ: SportPesa launch revolutionary Tujiamini Initiative to nurture talent
Tujiamini is an initiative that seeks to provide a platform, including up to 30M shillings in funding, for individual, team sports and various talent, in a year-long campaign that will go around the country in a move aimed at evoking the sense of pride in Kenya’s sports and talent ecosystem.
Applicants are urged to submit their applications through www.tujiamini.co.ke