Kenya’s Beatrice Chebet produced a blistering late surge to win the women’s 10,000m title at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo on Saturday, but ruled out chasing a rare 5,000m–10,000m double this year.
Chebet, the world record holder over both distances, clocked 30:37.61 to secure her first-ever world championship gold on the track. Italy’s Nadia Battocletti stormed to silver in a national record 30:38.23, while Ethiopia’s defending champion Gudaf Tsegay claimed bronze in 30:39.65.
“It was a tough, very tactical race, but I ran the last 800 metres really hard,” said Chebet. “I have never won a gold at the world championships so I was sure I had to get it. This title means a lot to me and I hope it will motivate young athletes out there.”
Chebet, who stunned the world with a double Olympic triumph over the 5,000m and 10,000m in Paris last year, had been tipped to attempt the same feat in Tokyo. Only Tirunesh Dibaba (2005) and Vivian Cheruiyot (2011) have achieved the world championship double.
However, the 24-year-old confirmed she would skip the 5,000m, saying: “The season has been long so we are going to close the season and go for holiday.”
The race itself was cagey and tactical under humid conditions at a packed National Stadium. With five laps to go, the leading pack of four—Chebet, Battocletti, Tsegay, and teammate Agnes Ngetich—set up a thrilling finish. Tsegay surged at the bell, but Chebet responded with a devastating kick in the final 150m to clinch a memorable gold.
Chebet’s victory makes her the first Kenyan woman to win the 10,000m world title since Vivian Cheruiyot in 2015.
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