Kenya’s Beatrice Chebet and Maria Perez of Spain both produced a repeat performance of their previous global doubles on day eight of the World Athletics Championships Tokyo 25.
Beatrice Chebet, who won the 10,000m earlier in the championships, added the 5000m title to her collection, replicating her double victory from the Paris 2024 Olympic Games on Saturday.
Chebet beat her teammate and close friend Faith Kipyegon, winner of the 1500m at these championships and the defending champion at this distance, in the women’s 5000m final.
In a relatively slow but tactical race, Kipyegon and Chebet sat on the shoulder of Italy’s Nadia Battocletti on the final lap before kicking away in the closing stages.
Chebet crossed the line in 14:54.36 and Kipyegon followed in 14:55.07. Battocletti, the 10,000m runner-up, claimed bronze in 14:55.42, meaning all podium finishers earned their second medal of the championships.
“Running with the likes of Faith and Nadia, you just have to believe in yourself,” said Chebet. “Today was not an easy race. I came here without pressure and I knew I should not stress myself. If you lose or win, you need to believe in yourself and in being able to come back stronger.
“It will be amazing bringing home gold and silver to Kenya. Me and Faith have been friends for a long time. We motivate each other and I am really pleased with our performances,” she added.
The 25-year-old is now the only third woman after Tirunesh Dibaba in 2005 and Vivian Cheruiyot in 2011 to win both titles at the same World Athletics Championships.
On what proved to be a good day for Kenya at the World Athletics Championships Tokyo 25, Emmanuel Wanyonyi took the men’s 800m title in a championship record in a race of unprecedented depth.
Wanyonyi sets a new Championship record of 1:41.86 to add world gold to his Olympic title from Paris 2024.
The 21-year-old Kenyan managed to hold off a fierce challenge from Canada’s defending champion Marco Arop and a fast-finishing Djamel Sedjati of Algeria. It was Sedjati who stormed through for silver in 1:41.90 and Arop got bronze in 1:41.95.
Cian McPhillips ran a big Irish record of 1:42.15 to finish fourth, ahead of Mohamed Attaoui, Max Burgin, Navasky Anderson and Tshepiso Masalela of Botswana. It is the first time that eight men have ever dipped under 1:43 in a single race.
Maria Perez added the 20km race walk gold to the women’s 35km crown she had won on the opening day of the championships.
The 29-year-old is now a four-time world champion and a two-time Olympic medallist, and she secured her latest title in 1:25:54 – the second-fastest time of her career.
Anna Hall was another pre-event favourite who lived up to her billing, the US all-rounder taking the heptathlon title. There were also victories from Jessica Schilder in the shot put, Juleisy Angulo in the javelin and Caio Bonfim in the 20km race walk.
Selected Results:
Men’s 20km Race Walk Final:
- Caio Bonfim (BRA) 1:18:35
- Wang Zhaozhao (CHN) 1:18:43
- Paul McGrath (ESP) 1:18:45
Women’s 20km Race Walk Final:
- Maria Perez (ESP) 1:25:54 WL
- Alegna Gonzalez (MEX) 1:26:06 AR
- Nanako Fujii (JPN) 1:26:18 NR
Women’s 5000m Final:
- Beatrice Chebet (KEN) 14:54.36
- Faith Kipyegon (KEN) 14:55.07
- Nadia Battocletti (ITA) 14:55.42
Men’s 800m Final:
- Emmanuel Wanyonyi (KEN) 1:41.86 CR
- Djamel Sedjati (ALG) 1:41.90
- Marco Arop (CAN) 1:41.95
Women’s Javelin Final:
- Juleisy Angulo (ECU) 65.12m NR
- Anete Sietina (LAT) 64.64m PB
- Mackenzie Little (AUS) 63.58m
Women’s Shot Put Final:
- Jessica Schilder (NED) 20.29m
- Chase Jackson (USA) 20.21m
- Maddison-Lee Wesche (NZL) 20.06m PB
Women’s Heptathlon Final:
- Anna Hall (USA) 6888
- Kate O’Connor (IRL) 6714 NR
- Katarina Johnson-Thompson (GBR) & Taliyah Brooks (USA) 6581.
Meet the Author (s)
World Athletics (formerly the International Association of Athletics Federations - IAAF) is the international governing body for the sport of athletics, such as running, jumping and throwing.
