Ethiopian Athlete Letesenbet Gidey Claims Gold In Women’s 10,000m
Ethiopian World Record holder Letesenbet Gidey held off a double Kenyan challenge of Hellen Obiri and Margaret Chelimo Kipkemboi to claim Gold in the Women’s 10,000m event, at the World Athletics Championships in Eugene, USA.
Gidey had been towards the front for the majority of the race but forged clear on the final lap. Obiri and Kipkemboi looked as if they might catch up to her in the final 30 metres, but Gidey, held on to win in 30:09.94 – the fastest time of the year.
Obiri took silver in a time of 30:10.02 with Kipkemboi third in 30:10.07, both personal best times for distance running.
WHAT A FINISH 🤯
Letesenbet Gidey 🇪🇹 literally KICKS to world 10,000m 🥇 in 30:09.94!
🥈 Hellen Obiri 🇰🇪 30:10.02
🥉 Margaret Chelimo Kipkemboi 🇰🇪 30:10.07#WorldAthleticsChamps pic.twitter.com/J28eIaw4az— World Athletics (@WorldAthletics) July 16, 2022
“I have the next dream now – to win the gold at 5000m,” Gidey said. “With the God’s help, I can get the double, I am very confident now.”
The Kenyan pair remained in range and double world 5,000 champion Obiri, looked to be closing the gap. However, Gidey had enough to hold on to make it eight wins from the last 12 world 10,000m finals for Ethiopia.
Olympic and defending world champion Sifan Hassan of the Netherlands ran out of gas in the final straight to finish fourth in the contest.
“The dream came true, this victory is even more important to me than a world record,” Gidey said. “I was thinking about winning this gold since 2019 but Hassan was always there.”
“I was also watching Obiri. This time, I was really watching them and I knew I had to be very fast in the last 300m.”
Chidi Nwoke/Reuters/World Athletics.
