L. MathekaOREGON22: Golden girl Kipyegon delivers first title for Kenya
Reading Time: 2min | Tue. 19.07.22. | 06:37
She reclaimed the gold she lost in the 2019 Championships. This is her fourth medal in the worlds.
In a race that saw the leading pack splot from the rest of the field in the opening 300m, Faith Kipyegon stormed to 1500m gold clocking 3:52.96.
Kipyegon who was dethroned by Sifan Hassan in the 2019 games in Doha has reclaimed her place as the world champion and in spectacular fashion, denying Ethiopia’s Gudaf Tsegay.
WORLD CHAMPION AGAIN ‼️
— World Athletics (@WorldAthletics) July 19, 2022
Beijing '15 🥈
London '17 🥇
Doha '19 🥈
Oregon '22 🥇
Two-time Olympic 1500m champion Faith Kipyegon 🇰🇪 runs an insane 3:52.96 to regain her world 1500m title!#WorldAthleticsChamps pic.twitter.com/ANIkmStcyu
Tsegay took the lead early on clocking 58.82 in the first 400m with four women in the leading pack. The four went through 800m in 2:03. 1i with Tsegay still in the lead, Kipyegon right behind her while Hirut Meshesha and Laura Muir were positioning themselves for bronze.
Kipyegon assumed lead with 300m to go, having earlier on tested Tsegay on two occasions but adjudged it too early for a kick.
The two-time Olympic champion quickly opened a gap between her and the Ethiopian with her killer kick and on the homestretch, if was clear that Tsegay had nothing left to challenge the Kenyan on her wah to reclaiming her title.
First lap of the 1500m wasn't 55.1 seconds (clock stopped too early). It was 'just' 58.82...
— Jon Mulkeen (@Statman_Jon) July 19, 2022
Correct splits: pic.twitter.com/wYdulBeNBm
Tsegay settled for silver in 3:54.52 while Muir clocked a Season's Best (SB) of 3:55.28 to win Bronze.
The going got tough for Meshesha at the bell and her decision to go with the leading pack came back to bite as she finished second last ahead of Kenya's Winny Chebet who placed 13th.
