Beatrice Chebet has emerged victorious in a thrilling women’s 5,000m final at the Tokyo 2025 World Athletics Championships.
Chebet stormed to gold in the women’s 5000m with a time of 14:54.36, while Faith Kipyegon claimed silver in 14:55.07. Italian Nadia Battocletti clocked 14:55:42 to finish third ahead of Shelby Houlihan and Ethiopia’s Gudaf Tsegay.
Beatrice entered the final as the reigning 10,000m world champion, having already claimed gold earlier in the championships. She also holds the world records in both the 5,000m and 10,000m, and was on a mission to complete a rare distance double — a feat last achieved by Kenya’s Vivian Cheruiyot in 2011 and Ethiopia’s Tirunesh Dibaba in 2005.
The 25-year-old has rewritten history repeatedly over the past two years — breaking four world records, including becoming the first woman to run under 29 minutes in the 10,000m (28:54.14) and the first under 14 minutes in the 5,000m (13:58.06).
Kipyegon vs Chebet
She came into this race focused solely on becoming a world champion over 5,000m after finishing second in Eugene 2022 and third in Budapest 2023 — both times behind Kipyegon.
“I came for nothing short of a gold medal,” Chebet had declared before the race. “Becoming a world champion is all that mattered.”
During the heats earlier in the week, Chebet looked in strong form as she won her heat in 14:45.59, ahead of Italy’s Nadia Battocletti.
Also Read: Beatrice Chebet Bags Kenya’s First Gold in Tokyo World Athletics Championships
Kipyegon qualified by finishing second in the second heat, clocking 14:56.71, just behind Ethiopia’s Gudaf Tsegay — the 2022 world champion — who ran 14:56.46. Agnes Jebet Ng’etich also advanced, placing eighth in that heat with a solid 14:57.90.
Coming into the final, Kipyegon had already made history by claiming her fourth world 1,500m title on Tuesday in a commanding gun-to-tape victory, clocking 3:52.15.
The win added to her three Olympic gold medals and further cemented her reputation as one of the greatest middle-distance runners of all time.
“Being able to defend my title and win a fourth gold feels really special,” Kipyegon said after the 1,500m. “I knew I could run it under control. Now I turn to the 5,000m.” Kipyegon, 31, now matches Hicham El Guerrouj with four world 1500m titles.
Kenya at the World Athletics Championships
Heading into Day 9, Kenya now stands second in the medal table with six golds, two silver, and two bronze medals — all earned in middle- and long-distance events.
Also Read: Kenyan Medalists to Fly Business Class After Uproar Over Peres Jepchirchir’s Flight
Kenya’s gold medalists so far include:
- Faith Kipyegon – Women’s 1500m
- Beatrice Chebet – Women’s 10,000m and 5,000m
- Peres Jepchirchir – Women’s Marathon
- Faith Cherotich – Women’s 3,000m Steeplechase (Championship Record: 8:51.69)
- Emmanuel Wanyonyi– Men’s 800m
Silver and bronze medalists:
- Dorcus Ewoi – Silver, Women’s 1500m
- Faith Kipyegon – Silver, Women’s 5000m
- Edmund Serem – Bronze, Men’s 3,000m Steeplechase
- Reynold Cheruiyot – Bronze, Men’s 1500m
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