World Championships 25: Chebet leads Kipyegon as Kenya win 5000m gold and silver

Kenya’s Beatrice Chebet and Faith Kipyegon delivered another golden moment on Saturday as they secured a historic 1-2 finish in the women’s 5000m at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo.

Chebet stormed to victory in 14:54.36, with Kipyegon taking silver in 14:55.07, repeating their dominance from the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

Italy’s Nadia Battocletti, who already had silver from the 10,000m, battled hard to claim bronze in 14:55.42, making it a second medal for each of the top three finishers.

The race was slow and tactical, with twists and turns that kept the crowd on edge. Early on, Agnes Jebet set the pace at 300m while Chebet and Kipyegon ran cautiously further back in the pack.

By 1,000m, Chebet had slipped to 11th and Kipyegon was still hidden in 10th, as the frontrunners tried to stretch the field.

At 2,100m, Jebet forced her way into third place behind Shelby Houlihan and Josette Andrews, with Battocletti moving steadily closer. Chebet then began climbing, reaching fifth position, while Kipyegon continued to bide her time.

By 3,000m, Jebet looked strong in second place, but Chebet and Kipyegon were carefully tracking the leaders. The defining moment came in the final 600m, when the two Kenyans unleashed a powerful kick, surging past the field to take command.

The stadium erupted as Chebet powered home for gold, with Kipyegon right on her shoulder to seal silver. The result confirmed Kenya’s grip on the event and mirrored their Olympic success, underlining their dominance in women’s distance running.

For Jebet, the night ended in disappointment as she faded badly in the closing stages to finish 15th in 15:13.78, while Chebet and Kipyegon celebrated yet another shared triumph on the world stage.