Faith Kipyegon etched her name into the annals of history when she won a second gold medal at the World Championships following victory in the women’s 5,000m on Saturday.
In a race that had Ethiopian and defending champion Gudaf Tsegay, Dutchwoman and London Marathon champion Sifan Hassan as well as compatriots Beatrice Chebet, the world cross-country champion, Kipyegon knew she had her work cut out and needed a tactical race to claim gold.
The world record holder over the distance kept pace with the leading pack until the final 600m when she took off to fend off Hassan’s challenge to take gold in 14:53:88 while the Dutchwoman took silver as Chebet claimed bronze.
With the gold, Kipyegon further enhanced her reputation as the greatest middle-distance runner of all time having claimed the 1,500m gold in Budapest, her third at the Worlds after 2017 and 2022.
The win completes a remarkable season for the 29-year-old who has broken three world records in the 1,500m, the mile, and 5,000m in the Diamond League between June and July this year.
Kipyegon remains the only Kenyan to have won gold in Budapest, with the 5,000m title making it two for the country after the 1,500m win.
