Chebet faces tough test for second gold in 10,000m final

Olympic 5000m champion Beatrice Chebet face an acid test in her quest for a second gold medal in Friday’s 10,000m women’s final at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.

Chebet made a surprise victory in the 5,000m final on Monday night at the Stade de France when she floored double Olympic 1500m champion Faith Kiyegon, Dutchwoman Sifan Hassan and Ethiopia’s Tsegay Gudaf.

The world record holder over the longer race will once again clash with reigning champion Sifan, Tsegay and her Ethiopian compatriots Fotyen Tesfay and Tsigie Gebreselama (29:48.34). Also in the mix are the Kenyan duo of Lilian Kasait and Margaret Chelimo.

Meanwhile, Emmanuel Wanyonyi and Wyclif Kinyamal will be out to secure final tickets as they battle in the semifinals of the 800m race at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games on Friday.

• Yego proud of his ‘surprise’ final qualification
• Kenya’s Paralympic athletes arrive in Paris

Kenyans have dominated the two-lap race in recent Olympics through the likes of Wilfred Bungei (Beijing 2008) world record holder David Rudisha (London 2012 and Rio 2016) and Emmanuel Korir (Tokyo 2020), leaving Kinyamal and Wanyonyi under pressure to step up.

” This medal has been ours for the longest time,” said Kinyamal, who is the Commonwealth Games champion.

“We will work hard to ensure one of us clinches the title. We hope to sail through and then strategise on how to approach the final.”

Wanyonyi added: “We are under a little pressure but whatever comes our way, we will tackle it head on. But, first… go past the semis.”

Friday’s Team Kenya Schedule
Men’s 800m semis 12.30pm
Women’s 10,000m final, 9.57pm

– By James Waindi in Paris