Golden-girl Hellen Obiri retains 5000m title in Doha
Kenya's Hellen Obiri wins the Women's 5000m final at the 2019 IAAF Athletics World Championships at the Khalifa International stadium in Doha on October 5, 2019. PHOTO | JEWEL SAMAD |
What you need to know:
- Margaret Chelimo also of Kenya took silver in the exciting race at the Khalifa International Stadium.
IN DOHA
Kenya's Hellen Obiri retained her 5000m World title in a stunning fashion, leading from gun-to-tape to win in a Championships Record time of 14:26.72 in Doha on Saturday.
Margaret Chelimo also of Kenya took silver in a personal best of 14:27.49 in the exciting race at the Khalifa International Stadium.
Kenya's Hellen Obiri wins the Women's 5000m final at the 2019 IAAF Athletics World Championships at the Khalifa International stadium in Doha on October 5, 2019. PHOTO | KIRILL KUDRYAVTSEV | AFP
Kenya's Hellen Obiri celebrates winning the Women's 5000m final at the 2019 IAAF Athletics World Championships at the Khalifa International stadium in Doha on October 5, 2019. PHOTO | MUSTAFA ABUMUNES | AFP
Kenya's Hellen Obiri (left) celebrates winning with second placed Kenya's Margaret Chelimo Kipkemboi after the Women's 5000m final at the 2019 IAAF Athletics World Championships at the Khalifa International stadium in Doha on October 5, 2019. PHOTO | ANTONIN THUILLIER | AFP
Second placed Kenya's Margaret Chelimo Kipkemboi (left) celebrates with winner Kenya's Hellen Obiri after the Women's 5000m final at the 2019 IAAF Athletics World Championships at the Khalifa International stadium in Doha on October 5, 2019. PHOTO | GIUSSEPPE CACACE | AFP
Germany's Konstanze Klosterhalfen, part of the Nike-backed Oregon Project whose head coach Alberto Salazar was banned for four years earlier in the week, took bronze in 14min 28.43sec.
Obiri had shared the early pace setting with British runner Eilish McColgan.
With eight laps to go Obiri stepped up the pace and McColgan dropped back - Ethiopia's Teshay Gemechu on her shoulder and Klosterhalfen third.
They were part of a six runner group who, with six laps to the finish, had dropped the rest of the field.
ETHIOPIANS DROPPED
Gemechu dropped away to the back of the sextet leaving Klosterhalfen in second spot followed by two Kenyans.
The six stuck together as the race approached the business end of the event.
As they heard the bell it was the German against three Kenyans.
Obiri broke and upped the pace but Klosterhalfen stuck to her task and for a moment threatened to spring a shock.
However, Obiri had more than enough in the locker to stretch her lead rounding the curve and it was Chelimo who finished the strongest passing Klosterhalfen in the straight.
Afterwards, Obiri said the fear of going back home with no medal, and the heartbreak she suffered in 10,000m final, motivated her to win gold.
“Before the race, I asked myself what it would mean for me to go back home without a medal. I was disappointed to have missed a medal in 10,000m and I thought of pulling out of 5,000m race because I felt my body was weak but I gathered courage and focused on 5000m title,” Obiri told Nation Sport in Doha on Saturday night.
She said some pep talk from her coaches also convinced her to compete in the 5000m race.
“After talking to my coaches, I said maybe I should just focus on the race and compete, and I am happy I won. I wanted to prove that I can do better,” she added.
The two-time world champion said she capitalised on blistering pace to win the title.
“I will take a month off, then I start the build-up for 2020 Olympics. The Olympics title is the only one missing in my 5000m trophy cabinet, so I will go out there and work on getting it,” Obiri said.
She will continue competing in 10,000m races.
“I will compete in 5,000m but I can’t give up on 10,000m. I know I am getting older and I need to plan my races accordingly,” she said, adding that she was happy to have registered a championship record time without pace setters in Doha. Ethiopia’s Tsehay Gemechu finished fourth in 14:29.60.
