Beatrice Chebet has become a double world champion after clinching victory in the 5,000 metres in the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, Japan.
Chebet, who was looking to her add to her gold in the 10,000 metres, crossed the finish line in a time of 14.54.36, to increase Kenya’s gold medal haul to five.
Chebet was followed by her compatriot and close friend Faith Kipyegon, who clinched silver, to secure Kenya a 1-2 finish.
In clinching victory, Chebet etched her name into history books by becoming the third woman to win the World Championships 5,000 and 10,000 metres double.
The win also meant that Chebet became the first woman in the world to hold both the Olympic and world 5,000m and 10,000m titles. This is in addition to also holding the world records in the two races.
She followed into the footsteps of Jamaican Usain Bolt (100m, 200m) and Ethiopian Kenenisa Bekele (10,000m , 5,000m) in holding world records in two distances.
The relatively uneventful race sparked to life in the last 100 metres as Chebet flew past Kipyegon to clinch victory with a remarkable trademark last kick.
Kipyegon, who had previously won the 1,500 metres, had taken the lead while heading to the final bend, but she had no answer for Chebet's pace and settled for second, clocking a season's best of 14.55.07.
The other Kenyan in the race, Agnes Jebet Ngetich, ended up at 15th place, despite being amongst the leading pack for the majority of the race.
In what might have been an indication of Kenya's strategy in the race, Ngetich fell off in the latter stages of the race, as her compatriots, who had ironically being amongst the last in the 12.5 lap race, powered up the positions.
Italian Nadia Battocletti, the 10,000m runner-up, claimed bronze in 14:55.42, meaning all podium finishers earned their second medal of the championships.
Currently, Kenya holds second place in the medal standings, with six gold, two silver, and two bronze, bringing the total medal haul to ten. The United States top the list with 20 medals; 12 gold, four silver, and four bronze.
