Kenya's Chebet wins 10,000m thriller for first world title
TOKYO : Olympic champion and world-record holder Beatrice Chebet won a thrilling women's 10,000 metres with a late burst of pace at the World Athletics Championships on Saturday to claim her first world title.
The Kenyan sprinted clear of the leading pack on the final lap to cross the line in 30 minutes 37.61 seconds and complete the first leg of what she hopes will be a 5,000m-10,000m double in Tokyo to match her feat at last year's Paris Olympics.
"It was a tough, very tactical race but I ran the last 800m really hard... my mind was like I was in a 1500m race," Chebet said.
"I had to push and follow, and motivate myself but I wanted that gold medal so much. I have never won a gold at the world championships so I was sure I had to get it."
Nadia Battocletti could not keep up with Chebet on the run-in but finished second in an Italian record 30:38.23 to win a silver medal to add to the one she won behind the Kenyan at last year's Olympics.
Gudaf Tsegay, who led an Ethiopian podium sweep at the last world championships in Budapest two years ago, held off Chebet's teammate Agnes Jebet Ngetich to take bronze in 30:39.65, her best time of the year.
The medallists, Ngetich and 2023 bronze winner Ejgayehu Taye raced as a pack for the last 4,000 metres after Japan's Ririka Hironaka had given a packed house at the National Stadium something to cheer by leading for the first eight laps.
Taye dropped off when Tesgay made a break about 1,000 metres from home and it was not until the final bend of the final lap that Chebet was able to finally break free of her rivals.
Battocletti, whose medal was a first for Italy in the event at the worlds, strained every sinew to try to stay with Chebet down the final straight but the Kenyan, nicknamed the Smiling Assassin, had too much pace and pulled away.
"It's really big for a European girl to win a medal at this event with all the African runners," Battocletti said.
"I wanted to go faster over the last 300 metres. Unfortunately, I missed a moment for the gold but I am proud. I am starting to like silver medals."
Tsegay, whose bronze was her fifth world championship medal, said the conditions had worked against her bid to retain the title.
"I did not expect such high humidity," she said. "I tried my best but the other girls were a bit faster at the finish line. That is our sport. It's amazing and unpredictable."
Chebet will be looking to join some select company in the 5,000m next Saturday, with Tirunesh Dibaba in 2005 and Vivian Cheruiyot in 2011 the only women to have previously achieved the distance double at the world championships.
