Kenya's Faith Kipyegon wins world 5,000m for historic double
Kenya's gold medallist Faith Kipyegon (R) and bronze medallist Beatrice Chebet celebrate with their national flags after the women's 5000m final during the World Athletics Championships at the National Athletics Centre in Budapest on August 26, 2023. (Photo by Jewel SAMAD / AFP)
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Kenya's
Faith Kipyegon underlined her status as one of the all-time greats of distance
running by sealing a historic 1500m/5000m double at the World Athletics
Championships in Budapest on Saturday.
After
claiming a third world 1500m title on Tuesday, Kipyegon delivered another
masterclass, this time in the 5,000m, to win her second gold in the Hungarian
capital.
The
29-year-old bided her time and produced a perfectly calm last lap for the win
in 14min 53.88sec.
Dutch rival
Sifan Hassan claimed silver in 14:54.11, with another Kenyan, Beatrice Chebet,
taking bronze (14:54.33).
Ethiopia's
10,000m world champion Gudaf Tsegay shot out into the lead, splitting the field
immediately.
Teammate
Ejgayehu Taye took up the front running as Kipyegon was surrounded by two of
their teammates as the two distance powerhouses from east Africa worked on
their race tactics.
The
Ethiopian surge eased, Kipyegon and compatriot Lilian Kasait Rengeruk moved to
the front of the pack with eight laps left, Hassan sat three off the back.
Tsegay was
back in front to lead the field with four laps remaining and once again spurted
down the far straight, causing Hassan to move away from the absolute
tailenders.
Hassan was
on Kipyegon's shoulder as the bell rang for the final 400 metres.
Stride for
stride, they accelerated away, chased by Chebet, the rest of the field trying
desperately to stay with the front runners.
Coming into
the home straight, Kipeygon kicked, eyes fixed on the big screen situated just
beyond the finish line, and held on for a fantastic victory.
The victory
underlined Kipyegon's dominance this season, especially given that the field
contained six of the 10 fastest women of all time.
Also a
two-time Olympic 1500m champion, Kipyegon has this year set three world records
in the 1500m, 5,000m and mile.


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