TOKYO 2020: Heartbreak as Uganda's Chemutai beats Kiyeng to claim 3000m steeplechase

Kenya’s wait for an Olympic 3000m steeplechase gold medal in the women’s category will stretch further after Ugandan Peruth Chemutai carried the day at the Olympic Stadium in Tokyo, Japan.

Kenya had stashed her hopes of a first gold medal in the duo of Hyvin Kiyeng and Beatrice Chepkoech but were uncharacteristically muscled out by the Ugandan who accelerated inside the final 300 metres to give the neighbors their third medal.

Chemutai who was making her second appearance in the games posted a national record and a personal record of 9:01.45. She failed to advance first the first round during the 2016 Games and finished fifth in the 2019 World Championships.

Kiyeng, a 2016 silver medalist however consoled herself with a bronze medal after finishing behind Courtney Frerichs of the United States of America. The former World champion clocked 9:05.39 while the silver medalist timed a season best of 9:04.79.

Prior to the race, record holder Chepkoech was deemed as her race to lose but the World champion appeared to struggle with pace midway and ended up finishing seventh at 9:16.33.

The African champion who is known for dictating pace upfront from the gun to the line opted to race shoulder to shoulder with her opponents and struggled to keep close tabs after four laps.

With three laps to go, Courtney made her intentions clear after steering away from the pack, attracting the attention of Chemutai who began to close in with Kiyeng and Abebe Mekides of Ethiopia lurking from a distance.

The American however faded off when it mattered most leaving Chemutai to jog her way to victory. Kiyeng was forced to fend off stiff competition from the Ethiopian in the last barrier but her experince came to play as she punched her way to a third place finish.