The Jury of Appeal has reinstated Kenyan athlete Faith Kipyegon to the silver medal position in the women’s 5000m
Kenya’s golden harvest has begun in Paris with three medals on Monday night. Olympic debutant Beatrice Chebet opened the medal account when she beat a star-studded field to win the 5000m gold medal – her first ever track medal as a senior athlete.
The highly contested final had defending champion Sifan Hassan, world champion Faith Kipyegon and world record holder Gudaf Tsegay. It was Beatrice’s finish kick with 80m to go overtaking Faith Kipyegon that won 24-year-old Chebet the gold medal. Chebet is the 10,00m world record holder, world silver and bronze in 5000m, and the 5km world record holder. She is ranked on the all-time 5000m list.
Despite the deep field, the race unfolded in a moderate manner until at some point Faith charged prompting others to follow but it wasn’t long before it stabilized again. At one point Faith Kipyegon and Gudaf Tsegay were involved in scuffle which led to Kipyegon being disqualified for obstruction but the decision was reversed and Faith’s silver reinstated following a successful Kenyan appeal who took a significant time to go through.
“The Jury of Appeal has reviewed all available evidence and agreed there was a significant contact between, and by two athletes. The Jury concluded that incident did not warrant a disqualification,” the ruling read.
“The Jury of Appeal has reinstated Kenyan athlete Faith Kipyegon to the silver medal position in the women’s 5000m,” jury concluded.
World Champion Mary Moraa brought home Kenya’s third medal when she won bronze in the women’s 800m which was the last event of the night.
On the same evening, there was the men’s 3000m steeplechase heats that was also dramatic when Kenyan youngster Amos Serem missed the water barrier and he had to go back and clear it. A move that led him to cover over 300m to rejoin the leading group which had reigning Olympic Champion Moroccan Soufiane El Bakali.
Serem powered on while chasing down the leading group, his efforts fell short when he finished sixth. Luckily, Athletics Kenya immediately appealed after it emerged that he was bumped. Serem was entered in the final.
Serem will be joined by Abraham Kibiwott and Simon Koech in the final with the hope to reclaim Kenya’s lost steeplechase glory.
Earlier on Wiseman Were had advanced to the semifinals of 400m hurdles at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. He was placed in the fifth position in heat 4 with a time 48.58