PARIS, France, Aug 10 – Kenya collected two back-to-back gold medals on the penultimate day at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games to end the day second overall and first in Africa in the Athletics medal table.
Emmanuel Wanyonyi opened the good-luck with the men’s 800m after stunning world champion Marco Arop who settled for silver in an Area Record of 1:41.20 while pre-race favourite and world leader Djamel Sedjati took bronze in 1:41.50.
Wanyonyi set his personal best of 1:41.19 to ensure Kenya retained the title since 2008 Beijing Olympic Games when Wilfred Bungei won.
Wanyonyi attributed his win to the wise words world record holder and two time Olympic champion David Rudisha gave him before the race.
“I thank David Rudisha for his advice that helped me win gold. He told me to run from the front throughout the race just the same way he ran in London 2012 where he broke the world record. It paid off and at the end and I won and most important gold remained in Kenya,” Wanyonyi said.
Up next was the men’s 5000m that saw Ronald Kwemoi claim silver after unleashing the afterburners with 400m to the line to come second in 13:15.04, beating Grant Fisher of the USA (13:15.13) who got bronze while Jakob Ingebrigtsen of Norway won gold in a season best of 13:13.66.
“I missed gold by a whisker I was about to beat Ingebrigtsen, but I thank God that I was able to win silver for Kenya. This is an indication that gold will be coming home next time,” Kwemoi, a former 1500m runner said.
The showstopper then followed up next in the women’s 1500m final that saw Faith Kipyegon write history at the first woman to defend the title three times after setting an Olympic Record of 3:51.29, beating Jesica Hull of Australia who bagged silver in 3:52.56 while bronze went to Georgia Bell of Great Britain.
Dedicating the medal to her husband and daughter, Kipyegon said the win did not come easy since she was trying to put her mind together after the 5000m race where he won silver before being disqualified and later rescinded.
“After what I went through in 5000m, I did not sleep until yesterday (Friday), so making history today (Saturday) I have no words, but to thank all the people who supported me including my management, my coach, my family and fans all over the world,” the 30-year-old revealed.
Earlier, Benson Kipruto saved Kenya the blushes following his bronze win in the men’s marathon clocking 2:07.00 in a race that saw Ethiopia’s Tamirat Tola set new Olympic Record of 2:06.26 ahead of Bashir Abdi representing Belgium who grabbed silver in a season best of 2:06.47.
“I am elated to win my first medal on my first Olympics. It will motivate me to go for more, for now I dedicate this gold to my wife,” The Tokyo marathon champion said.
Legendary Eliud Kipchoge who was the defending champion did not finish after feeling pain on his waist.