Kenya’s Beatrice Chebet etched her name in Olympic history on Friday night, claiming a second gold medal at the Paris 2024 Games by winning the women’s 10,000 meters final at the Stade de France.
Chebet, who had already secured gold in the 5,000 meters event earlier this week, delivered a masterclass in strategy and endurance, and crossed the finish line in 30 minutes and 43.25 seconds.
Her victory marked a historic moment for Kenya, as she became the first Kenyan woman to win Olympic gold in the 10,000 meters.
The 24-year-old world record holder, known for her fierce competitiveness and tactical acumen, ran a calculated race, staying with the lead pack before unleashing a powerful kick on the final lap.
Italy’s Nadia Battocletti, who finished just a tenth of a second behind Chebet in 30:43.35, was the surprise of the day, and took silver, setting a new national record in the process.
The bronze medal went to the Netherlands’ Sifan Hassan, who clocked 30:44.12 in her season’s best performance.
However, it was a challenging day for Uganda in the women’s 10,000 meters. Sarah Chelangat finished 12th with a time of 31:02.37, while Annet Chelangat placed 21st, the latter though running her personal best of 31:50.41.
After the historic win, Chebet had this to say, “It’s not easy to win double in the 5,000 and 10,000 meters, but I focused, believed in myself, and I’m proud to have won for my country.”
“Kenya has never won a gold medal in the women’s 10,000 meters, and I wanted to be the first.” She added.
Chebet’s victory capped off a remarkable week in Paris, where she first captured gold in a highly competitive and contentious 5,000-meter final on Monday, August 5.
In that race, she outpaced her compatriot Faith Kipyegon, who took silver despite battling aggressive tactics from Ethiopian runner Gudaf Tsegay.
Chebet’s double gold has lifted Kenya’s medal tally at the Paris Olympics to six, with the nation now boasting of two golds, one silver, and three bronze medals, placing them 25th on the overall medal table.
Meanwhile, Uganda sits in 48th place, with its sole gold coming from Joshua Cheptegei in the men’s 5,000 meters and a silver from Peruth Chemutai in the women’s 3,000 meters steeplechase.
