The 25-year-old, who is the world record holder in the 5,000 metres, outpaced her opponents in the last 200 metres with a devastating kick to win her first world title on the track, crossing the line in 30:37.61. Italy’s Nadia Batocletti finished second to Chebet in a national record, this time clocking 30:38.23. Gudaf Tsegay, the defending champion, completed the podium.
Chebet’s success brought happiness to Kenyans after Team Kenya’s 4X400m mixed relay spearheaded by 800m world champion Mary Moraa was disqualified for lane infringement during the opening races.
‘I am so happy for myself’
Speaking after the race, Chebet, who won the gold medal at the 2024 Summer Olympics in the 5000m and 10,000m races, becoming the third woman in history to win both events at the same Olympic games, explained what the gold meant to her.
“I am so happy, I can say coming here in Tokyo I was like I have to go all the way and win a gold medal, you know I don’t have a gold medal in World Championships, so I was like Beatrice you have to go for it,” said Chebet, who in 2022 won gold medals in the 5000m at the Commonwealth Games, African Championships, and Diamond League, and a silver medal in the 5000m at the World Championships.
She added: “I have won World Cross Country before, I have been the Olympic Games champion, now I am a World champion, I am so happy for myself, I just want to thank each and every one, people, who have supported me, from my coach, my family, Athletics Kenya, Ministry of Sports, and Kenyans at large and I just want to say thank you for your support.
“The gold means a lot to me, today, I am standing here being a World champion, and I am simply proud of myself.”
After winning the 10,000m race, Chebet will also be going for another gold medal in the 5,000m women’s race. Asked how it feels going for a double, she said: “It is not an easy race, even the 10,000m race, it was not an easy one, you have be strong mentally, physically and everything, so coming to 5,000m race in a few days to come, I am hoping to have good healthy, and the energy for a good result.
“I know I will come up against a strong team, my target is to stay healthy, and hopefully, I win another gold medal, and that is our main target.”
Analysing the 10,000m race, Chebet said: “It was not an easy one, I came up against very strong opponents, we had the defending champion, and we had the silver medallist, so it was really a tough race, I think for me I can say what keeps me going is just to keep running, I don’t have to limit myself, I just want to keep pushing each and every day.”
Faith Kipyegon is my friend
On coming up against Kenyan athlete Faith Kipyegon in the 5,000m, Chebet, who won gold medals in the 5000m at the 2018 IAAF World U20 Championships and the Junior women section of the 2019 World Cross Country Championships, explained: “We are friends, and coming to the track, we come and race, so like we come to race as a teamwork, like today, we assisted each other.
“So coming up against Faith, if Faith wins I will celebrate her, if I win of course, she will celebrate me, and that is how sports is supposed to be, you have to celebrate your colleagues, I win today, tomorrow someone else wins, so that is how sports is.”
She added: I don’t have to put myself under any pressure because I came to Tokyo as Beatrice and I just came to run my race. If I win, I congratulate myself, but if I don’t win and finish fourth or fifth, I just have to congratulate myself, to come to Tokyo itself it means a lot.”
Chebet will now shift her focus to the 5000m as she seeks to become the first athlete to win both events at the World Championships since Mo Farah in 2015.
