
TOKYO 2020: Wait for women's 10,000m gold medal continues
Reading Time: 2min | Sat. 07.08.21. | 14:48
Obiri findihed fourth behind record holder Gidey as Sifan completed Olympic double
Kenya will have to wait longer for an Olympic 10 000m gold after the trio of Hellen Obiri, Irene Cheptai and Sheila Chelagat finished outside the medal bracket at the Olympic Stadium in Tokyo, Japan.
The high flying Dutchman Sifan Hassan consoled herself from the 1500m loss to Faith Kipyegon with a hard fought victory, eclipsing world record holder over the distance Letesenbet Gidey of Ethiopia in the final bend to storm to victory.
Sifan, who claimed victory in the 5 000m final, clocked 29:55.32 ahead of Bahraini Kalkidani Gezahege who settled for silver while Gidey who took the lead at the 3 000m mark.
Women's 10,000m finals
— TeamKenya (@OlympicsKe) August 7, 2021
Hellen Obiri comes on 4th
Irene Cheptai 6th
Sheila Chelagat 17th
Great effort by our ladies. We live to fight another day.#Teamkenya🇰🇪#YouAreTheReason 🇰🇪 pic.twitter.com/YXU9lnUbQ7
There were at least hopes of Kenya bagging the ninth medal through Obiri who posted a personal best of 30:24.27 but the 5000m World champion faded off with six laps to go.
Obiri had kept close tabs with the top three throughout the race but failed to react when Gidey stepped up the pace with six laps remaining and ended up finishing fourth. Obiri who was seeking her first Olympic gold medal, the only missing laurel from her rich collection.
Chelagat, who is the reigning national cross country champion, began to tire after thirteen minutes into the race. She finished a disappointing 16th after timing 31:48.23.
The 2017 World Cross Country champion, Cheptai got overwhelmed by the pace coupled by the difficult conditions with ten laps remaining finished sixth with a personal best of 34:44.00.
The 2016 800m silver medalist Francine Niyonsaba of Burundi was fifth after timing a national record of 30:41.93.












