Kenya’s Beatrice Chebet Claims Second Olympic Gold Medal

Four days after clinching gold in the women’s 5000m final, Kenya’s Beatrice Chebet has emerged victorious again!

In the women’s 10,000m final at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in France, Chebet held off a tense showdown in the final straight between her and Italy’s Nadia Battocletti to clinch victory at a time of 30:43.25.

Battocletti finished second in a new national record of 30:43.35, while reigning champion Sifan Hassan of the Netherlands clinched bronze in third, clocking a season’s best of 30:44.12.

Hassan, just like Chebet, clinched her second medal in a week, after winning bronze in the women’s 5,000m race.

Kenya’s Beatrice Chebet in action at the women’s 10,000m on August 9, 2024. /TEAM KENYA

Chebet has now become the first Kenyan woman to win a gold medal in the distance. She is also the first athlete to win two individual gold medals in the Paris Olympics.

Chebet headed into the race as the favourite after winning the 5,000m but was facing stiff competition from Hassan and Gudaf Tsegay of Ethiopia. She is also the world record holder in the distance.

Other Kenyans in the race, Margaret Chelimo and Lilian Kasait finished fourth and fifth, respectively. Tsegay was sixth in 30:45.21.

Chebet had played a wait-and-see game for most of the race, which was hugely competitive, with the group not breaking up all through the 25 laps, until the home stretch.

The Kenyan had set herself perfectly in the middle of the pack, keen not to power too much with some energy already used up in the 5,000m, and also careful not to let the pace get off her grasp.

Chelimo had played pace setter for most of the race, as she controlled the tempo, with the Ethiopian contingent led by Tsegay constantly in her shadow.

Reigning champion Hassan, just as she did in the 5,000m, sat quietly at the back and only moved quickly upfront with two laps to go.

At the bell, Chebet began making her move, with Chelimo still pulling strings at the front. At the back straight, the field began breaking up, the wheat being sifted away from the chaff.

Known for her devastating finishing kick, Chebet bolted upfront in the final 100m, and Italian Battocletti, who finished fourth in the 5,000m tried her best to battle the pace. However, the Kenyan offered strong resistance to sprint to the line and clinch her second gold from the Games.

Before today, no Kenyan woman had won the 10,000m at the Olympics, with Naftali Temu being the only Kenyan with a 10,000m gold at the Games. 

“Congratulations to Beatrice Chebet for a brilliant performance in the 10,000 metres, securing Kenya its second gold medal of these Olympics! A fantastic achievement on her second gold medal. Hongera!” former Prime Minister Raila Odinga wrote on his social media handles.

Kenya’s Beatrice Chebet and Faith Kipyegon in the women’s 5000m final of the athletics event at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at Stade de France in Saint-Denis, north of Paris, on August 5, 2024. /X