Rousing finish caused by Hassan’s late charge sees Ethiopian land another medal in Eugene

Gudaf Tsegay emerged as the victor from a women’s 5000m final which began as a slow jog but finished with a last-lap burn-up at the World Championships on Saturday night (July 23).

The Ethiopian, silver medallist in the 1500m earlier this week, put her experience in the metric mile to good use as she finished strongest after an attack from Olympic champion Sifan Hassan with 200m remaining well and truly shook up a race which had been quietly going about its business.

Tsegay held off Beatrice Chebet to take gold in 14:46.29, with the Kenyan clocking 14:46.75 in second, and Dawit Seyaum 14:47.36 for bronze.

There was little drama to start with in this race as the field jogged the first 400m in 1:17.97 and went through 800m in a sedate 2:39.94. It was at this point that the Ethiopian trio of Tsegay, Seyaum and 10,000m champion Letesenbet Gidey moved to the front of the leading pack and began to exert their control on the race. Tsegay and Gidey, being watched carefully by Kazakhstan’s Caroline Kipkirui, took turns at the head of the field, talking and gesturing to each other throughout.

Halfway was reached in 7:34.98, with Gidey at the front of a tightly bunched pack as Olympic champion Hassan opted to remain back in 10^th and watch from afar as the race unfolded.

The lead continued to change Ethiopian hands until Hassan decided to put her foot to the floor at the bell and the whole field reacted. Suddenly, the scramble had begun and the Dutch athlete – who has had limited training this year following the exhaustion of winning three Olympic medals last year, charged up the inside to take the lead with 200m to go and Chebet went, too.

That plan spurred Tsegay into life and the world indoor champion got herself back in front, before savouring the winning moment, with a member of the crowd – holding what appeared to be a Tigray flag (a region of Ethiopia where Tsegay and Gidey are from and is at the centre of a civil war in the country) – made their way on to the track to hoist her and Gidey into the air. The man in question was removed by stewards but demonstrations were staged by “Free Tigray” protestors on the Hayward Field concourse in the immediate aftermath of the final.

“I have been training well for 1500m and this helped on the home stretch,” said Tsegay, a bronze medallist in Tokyo last year. “This win is for all of Ethiopia. I was trying to control the race coming from first place so it was very hard for me, but that was our plan because I felt in shape and my victory confirms it was a good plan.”

Oregon-based Elise Cranny was the top USA finisher in ninth thanks to a time of 14:59.99, while her Bowerman Track Club team-mate Kariss Schweizer dropped out of the race in the closing stages.

The British finalists Eilish McColgan and Jess Judd finished 11^th (15:03:03) and 13^th  (15:19.88) respectively.