Olympic triumph for Chebet ahead of fellow Kenyan Kipyegon, who is disqualified then reinstated after ugly clash with Gudaf Tsegay

Beatrice Chebet has emerged as the distance running phenomenon of 2024. After setting a world 5km record of 14:13 on New Years Eve, she successfully defended her world cross-country title in Belgrade and then took seven seconds off the world 10,000m record in Eugene with 28:54.14. Now, in Paris, she has been crowned Olympic champion too.

The diminutive Kenyan sped to gold in 14:28.56 ahead of Faith Kipyegon (14:29.60) but the big story of the race was Kipyegons disqualification and subsequent reinstatement following an incident with Ethiopias Gudaf Tsegay that took place with just over two laps to go.

In a relatively slow race that saw the field bunching in the final stages, Tsegay began to cut in front of Kipyegon as the Kenyan led. The arms of the two athletes tangled and Kipyegon appeared to lash out a little although Tsegay responded by cutting in front even more sharply.

An argument could be struck for Tsegay being disqualified, but it was Kipyegons name that disappeared from the results shortly after the finish. However, after an appeal from the Kenyan federation justice was done and she was reinstated. Ironically, it happened almost 40 year to the day after the infamous clash between Mary Decker and Zola Budd in the Olympic 3000m final.

In third with 14:30.61, Sifan Hassan of the Netherlands was initially told she had silver but then the bronze after Kipyegons reinstatement, whereas Nadia Battocletti, the European champion, was initially told she had a bronze medal but she was nudged down to fourth as she improved her Italian record to 14:31.64.

Kipyegon, the world record-holder at 1500m and 5000m, had been odds on favourite followed by Hassan at 7/1 and Tsegay and Chebet at 8/1. Given her great form this year, though, Chebet was generous odds, although few expected Kipyegon to be out-kicked, let alone DQd, in an Olympic final.

The early pace had been slow with Karoline Grovdal of Norway taking the runners through 1000m in 3:10 and 2000m in 6:05 with Hassan casually hanging right at the back.

With five laps to go Ejgayehu Taye of Ethiopia hit the front and within 400m Grovdal went from first to 12^th, eventually rallying to finish seventh.

Kipyegon went into the lead with just over three laps remaining and then with 850m to go the clash occurred. It certainly did not help Tsegay, though, as the Ethiopian began grimacing soon afterwards and imploded with 500m to go and began to go backwards as Kipyegon went into the lead again with Chebet chasing her.

Around the final lap Kipyegon tried to stretch away but Chebet matched her and powered past in the final 100m with a last lap of 58 seconds and a last mile of 4:18.

Now Chebet will aim to win a golden double in the 10,000m, although after the race she told AW she wasnt taking victory for granted as she will be up against a tough field. The 24-year-old also confirmed she has no immediate desire to move up to long road races either.

I am so happy because this is the first medal for our country (at Paris 2024) and being an Olympic champion is something special for me, said Chebet.

On outsprinting Kipyegon, she added: I knew Faith is very strong so I had to go hard from 400 metres out. I just tried myself. When she pushed, I thought, Let me follow her and see if I can secure second.

If I followed Faith, I thought I would get the silver. Then at 400 metres to go I felt strong, so I pushed, then kicked again at 300 metres. Luckily, I was able to win.