Kenya's Chebet wins 10,000m gold, suggests no tilt at world double / Photo: Jewel SAMAD - AFP
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Kenya's Chebet wins 10,000m gold, suggests no tilt at world double
Kenya's Beatrice Chebet won the women's 10,000 metres title at the world championships on Saturday but suggested she would not attempt a rarely-achieved distance double after a long season.
Chebet, the world record holder in both the 5,000m and 10,000m, clocked a winning time of 30min 37.61sec for the first track gold of the championships in Tokyo.
Italy's Nadia Battocletti claimed silver in a national record of 30:38.23, while Ethiopia's defending champion Gudaf Tsegay took bronze in 30:39.65.
"It was a tough, very tactical race, but I ran the the last 800 metres really hard," Chebet said.
"I have never won a gold at the world championships so I was sure I had to get it. That was running in my mind during the race. This title means a lot to me and hope it will motivate young athletes out there."
Chebet took last year's Paris Olympics by storm as she won both the 5,000m and 10,000m crowns, and it was thought she would target a world double in Tokyo.
Two past winners of the women's 10,000m at the world championships have also completed the double by winning the 5,000m: Ethiopia's Tirunesh Dibaba in 2005 and Kenya's Vivian Cheruiyot in 2011.
Cheruiyot was also the last Kenyan woman to claim the 10,000m title, in 2015.
But Chebet suggested that she would not take a crack at the double.
"The season has been long so we are going to close the season and go for holiday," she said.
- 'I had to push' -
The 10,000m race itself was predictably tactical.
Chebet took over the lead with 14 of the 25 laps remaining at the head of a six-strong pack including teammate Agnes Ngetich, Tsegay and her two Ethiopian teammates Ejgayehu Taye and Fotyen Tsefay, and Battocletti.
Chebet slowed the pace for Ngetich to take over at the halfway mark.
Tsefay was dropped as the remaining quintet surged and slowed, with all indications pointing to a sprint finish in sultry conditions at a sell-out 55,000-capacity National Stadium.
With five laps to go, Ngetich was still in charge of pacing, Battocletti sticking on the inside shoulder.
Tsegay bolted with 1km to run, her teammate Taye immediately dropped and the pack was now four.
It was Tsegay who led them through the bell, but at the 150m mark, Chebet kicked, followed by the Italian.
"Tsegay pushed a lot and I had to keep going," said Chebet. "I ran 1,500m in the Diamond League meet in Silesia, so my mind was like I was at the 1500m race.
"I had to push and follow, and motivate myself, but I wanted that gold medal so much."
Chebet turned on the gas down the home straight and held on for a memorable gold.
Y.Papantoniou--AN-GR
