Kenyan seals distance double in Paris as European No.1 wins brilliant silver for Italy with Sifan Hassan third
Beatrice Chebet’s secured her status as one of the stars of the Paris Games by completing a golden distance running double. The Kenyan won the 5000m earlier in the programme and on Friday the 24-year-old won the 10,000m in 30:43.25.
Chebet, who set a world record of 28:54.14 earlier this summer, had to work hard during a 57-second last lap, though, to hold off an inspired challenge from Nadia Battocletti, who finished just one tenth of a second behind in an Italian record.
In third, Sifan Hassan of the Netherlands took bronze in 30:44.12 followed by Kenyans Margaret Kipkemboi and Lilian Rengeruk.
Beatrice Chebet (Getty)
Despite being in the mix with a lap to go and renowed for their finishing speed, Ethiopians Gudaf Tsegay, Fotyen Tesfay and Tsigie Gebreselama finished sixth, seventh and 10th respectively.
It wasn’t a great race for British runners either. Eilish McColgan finished 15th in 31:20.51 although after an injury-hit 2023 she was well over a minute outside her best.
McColgan was relieved to make the Olympics after such a difficult build-up, though, and now plans to step on to the roads with the Big Half in London among her targets.
Eilish McColgan and Megan Keith (Getty)
Struggling even more was Megan Keith, who after being dropped only five minutes into the race finished 23rd and last in an underpar 33:19.92 after struggling with an injury to her left ankle in the build-up. Visibly upset, she was a shadow of the athlete who won the Night of the 10,000m PBs in May.
Eilish McColgan and Megan Keith (Getty)
The Americans fared much better with Weini Kelati clocking 30:49.98 in eighth, followed by Karissa Schweizer in 30:51.99 and then NCAA champion Parker Valby 11th in 30:59.28 on her first trip to Europe.
The runners had passed halfway in 15:49.86 with a big group still in contention led by Daisy Jepkemei of Kazakhstan and Lauren Ryan of Australia leading.
Ryan injected some pace soon after, though, with the field beginning to splinter and McColgan among those to suffer. With eight laps to go there were still 13 runners in the lead pack, however, with Hassan at the back and now Ryan beginning to lose contact. Nestled in the pack, the Americans were close together and seemingly drawing strength from each other. Valby even almost went to the front with 1500m to go although she later said it was moreso to get out of trouble than a…
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