Kenya’s Beatrice Chebet defied expectations to win the women’s 5,000m gold medal at the Paris 2024 Olympics on Monday, August 5. Chebet delivered a stunning final kick to outpace her compatriot Faith Kipyegon, finishing with a time of 14:28.56.

Initially, Kipyegon, who secured the second position, was disqualified for obstruction following an incident with Ethiopia’s Gudaf Tsegay with two laps remaining. However, after an appeal, World Athletics reinstated Kipyegon as the silver medallist.

Tokyo 2020 champion Sifan Hassan claimed the bronze with a time of 14:30.61, while Italy’s Nadia Battocletti set a national record, finishing fourth in 14:31.64.

The race was highly anticipated as a showdown among the three fastest women in history over this distance: defending champion Hassan, reigning world champion Kipyegon, and world record holder Tsegay. Chebet’s tactical run over the 12-and-a-half laps culminated in a thrilling sprint finish, overcoming former world record-holder Kipyegon.

Chebet and Kipyegon led for most of the race, with Hassan making her move from the back as the race neared its conclusion. The final two laps saw intense competition, including a brief tussle between Kipyegon and Tsegay. Kipyegon surged to the front with 500 meters to go, closely followed by Chebet, who ultimately pulled ahead in the last 50 meters to secure her first Olympic gold, adding to her silver and bronze from previous world championships.

Paris 2024 Women’s 5,000m Podium:

• Gold: Beatrice Chebet (KEN)
• Silver: Faith Kipyegon (KEN)
• Bronze: Sifan Hassan (NED)