Kenya shined with gold and silver medals in the women’s 5000m event at the Paris 2024 Olympics, as Beatrice Chebet and Faith Kipyegon claimed the respective medals. However, there was a big controversy that saw Kipyegon’s silver medal denied for a few hours.
Paris 2024 Olympics: Women's 5000m final - Kenyan Beatrice Chebet and Faith Kipyegon were the first two finishers
It was a thrilling women’s 5000m final, where Kenyan runners Beatrice Chebet and Faith Kipyegon were ultimately battling for the gold medal. While gold medallist Chebet clocked the race at 14:28.56 minutes on her Olympic debut, Kipyegon finished the race at 14:29.60 minutes.
After Vivian Cheruiyot at the Rio 2016 Olympics, Chebet became the second Kenyan to win an Olympic gold medal in the women’s 5000m event.
Meanwhile, defending champion Sifan Hassan from the Netherlands secured the bronze medal by finishing the race at 14:30.61 minutes.
Initially, Faith Kipyegon was disqualified, but later she retained her silver medal
However, the race ended in drama and controversy. After the race ended, the world champion Kipyegon was disqualified for a clash with Tokyo 2020 Olympic bronze medallist Ethiopian Gudaf Tsegay during the race. The race video showed that both made contact in that controversial race moment.
During that period, Sifan Hassan was upgraded to the silver medal, while the Italian Nadia Battocletti, who set a national record in that race (14:31.64), was named for the bronze medal.
However, on an appeal, Kipyegon’s silver medal was reinstated, which also meant Battocletti had to finish with no medal.
No Ethiopian on the podium
Since the introduction of the women’s 5000m event in Atlanta 1996, it was the only second time that no Ethiopian athlete managed a podium finish in this event. Previously, Atlanta 1996 experienced this scenario.
