PARIS, France, Aug 10 – World Record holder Beatrice Chebet produced a perfomance worth a champion when she broke Kenya’s jinx in the women’s 10,000m at the Olympic Games.
Chebet not only became Kenya’s first woman to win gold in the multi-sporting event but also wrote history as the first to win a double at the same event for the East Africa athletics power house.
The result achieved at a full to capacity Stade de France on Friday night, meant that the 24-year-old handed Kenya her second gold medal to currently occupy top African nation in Athletics.
Chebet, who clocked 30:43.25 to win contest against Nadia Battocletti of Italy who finished second in a National Record of 30:43.35, while defending champion Sifan Hassan of the Netherlands settled for bronze in a time of 30:44.12.
“We had planned to run as a team at least to get podium slots. When we got to the last 200 -meters, I realized we were many and without reaction, so I said to myself that I will attack from 150-meters onwards, as I thought that if we left it late the Europeans and Ethiopians would beat us. Unfortunately, Maggy didn’t make it to the podium, she said her feet just couldn’t allow her. I thank God, we have not come out empty handed and I am happy for the gold,” explained Chebet.
-BEATRICE CHEBET FACT FILE –
Name: Beatrice Chebet
Event: 10,000m and 5,000m
Born: March 5, 2000
Weight: 40kgs
Height: 5.0ft
Personal best
3,000m: 8:25.01 (Oslo 2023)
3,000m indoors: 8:37.06 (Madrid 2021)
5,000m: 14:05.92 (Eugene 2023)
10,000m: 28:54.14 WR (Eugene 2024)
5km: 14:32 (Zurich 2022)
10km: 32:52 (Eldoret 2019)
Olympics: Debutant