Winfred Yavi of Bahrain secured the gold medal in the women’s 3,000 meters steeplechase at the Paris Olympics on Tuesday. Yavi’s victory came after she dramatically overtook Uganda’s Peruth Chemutai, who had led most of the race, leaving Chemutai to settle for silver.
Yavi, 24, executed a powerful sprint just before the finish line, allowing her to surpass Chemutai with an impressive final burst that left the Ugandan unable to respond. Yavi completed the race in 8 minutes 52.76 seconds, setting a new Olympic record and adding the Olympic title to her win at last year’s World Championship.
Chemutai, who was visibly stunned by the result, had to be content with silver. “This is like a dream come true. It’s something special,” Yavi expressed to reporters. “It means a lot to me and also to the country.”
Kenya’s 20-year-old Faith Cherotich, ranked third in the world, earned bronze, marking her Olympic debut with a podium finish.
In the race’s initial stages, Kenya’s Beatrice Chepkoech took an early lead, maintaining a shoulder-to-shoulder pace with Chemutai. However, Chepkoech faltered in the final lap, eventually finishing fourth in a highly competitive race. Alice Finot of France celebrated a strong performance in fifth place.
Chepkoech, who holds the world record of 8:44.32, has yet to claim an Olympic medal in the steeplechase. In the previous Olympics held in Tokyo, it was Chemutai who shocked the field, taking gold from favorite Chepkoech and becoming the first Ugandan woman to win an Olympic medal in any sport.
Reuters
