Paris 2024 double Olympic champion Beatrice Chebet returned to action on Sunday with an impressive win at the Italica International Cross Country 2024 in Spain.
Chebet, who has had a trophy-laden year, took control of the World Athletics Gold label event at the first stages and went to cut the tape in a time of 23:32, more than 20 seconds ahead of her closest opponent.
Daisy Jepkemei, who switched her allegiance from Kenya to Kazakhstan, secured second place after clocking 23:59 with Uganda’s Charity Cherop clocking 24:35 to complete the podium positions.
Another Kenyan in the race, World U20 Championships bronze medalist Diana Chepkemoi settled for fourth position.
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This was Chebet’s first competitive race since her triumph at the Wanda Diamond League final on September 14 in Brussels, Belgium.
The Kericho-based speedster had taken some time off to recover from the busy season which saw her win almost every race she took part in and set a world record.
Chebet entered the history books in the Paris Olympic Games as she became the first ever Kenyan woman to win two titles when she clinched gold in the women’s 5000m and 10000m race.
In addition, she also made Kenyans proud by clinching the elusive 10000m Olympic Games title that was missing in the country’s trophy-laden cabinet.
Besides dazzling at the Olympics, Chebet defended her World Athletics Cross Country laurel in the championship that went down in Belgrade, Serbia on March 30 before setting a novel 10000m world record of 28:54.14 on May 23 in Oregon, United States.
Her extraordinary achievements earned her a nomination for the women’s track athlete of the year award by the World Athletics. However, she failed to make it to the final round to the surprise of everyone.
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