Did Chebet Achieve a Remarkable Double at the World Athletics Championships?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Beatrice Chebet achieved a golden double in the championships.
- Maria Perez replicated her world race walk title double.
- Emmanuel Wanyonyi set a new championship record in the 800m.
- A record eight men finished under 1:43 in a single race.
- Jessica Schilder won gold in women's shot put with a season-best throw.
Tokyo, Sep 20 (NationPress) Kenya's Beatrice Chebet celebrated a remarkable golden double alongside Maria Perez on the eighth day of the World Athletics Championships this Saturday. Chebet surged down the final stretch to secure victory in the women's 5,000 meters, while Perez added the 20km race walk title to her earlier 35km gold.
The 25-year-old Olympic champion, who shattered the world record earlier this year in Eugene with a time of 13:58.06, clinched the 5,000m title with a time of 14:54.36, complementing her 10,000m win.
Her teammate and defending champion Faith Kipyegon, who previously won the 1,500m in Tokyo, took home the silver medal, finishing just 0.71 seconds behind. Meanwhile, Italy's Nadia Battocletti, the 2022 European champion, secured the bronze with a time of 14:55.42.
In a race characterized by strategic pacing, Kipyegon and Chebet positioned themselves closely behind Battocletti during the final lap before accelerating in the last moments.
Chebet crossed the finish line at 14:54.36, followed closely by Kipyegon at 14:55.07. Battocletti, who also placed second in the 10,000m, secured bronze in 14:55.42, meaning all podium finishers earned their second medal of the championships.
In the women's race walk, Maria Perez made history in Tokyo by replicating her performance from Budapest two years prior. The Spaniard achieved her second world race walk title double by defending her 20km crown, which she paired with the 35km gold she secured at the start of the competition.
The 29-year-old is now a four-time world champion and a two-time Olympic medalist, completing the course in 1:25:54 – the second-fastest time of her career.
Trailing her at the finish was Mexico's Alegna Gonzalez, setting a North American record of 1:26:06. Nanako Fujii delighted the home crowd by earning bronze with a Japanese record time of 1:26:18 – marking the nation's first medal in this event in World Championships history.
Wanyonyi Breaks 800m Championship Record
Emmanuel Wanyonyi claimed the 800m title, establishing a championship record of 1:41.86, thus adding a World Championship gold to his Olympic title.
The 21-year-old Kenyan managed to fend off a fierce challenge from Canada’s defending champion Marco Arop and a fast-closing Djamel Sedjati from Algeria. Sedjati ultimately earned silver in 1:41.90, while Arop secured bronze in 1:41.95.
Cian McPhillips set a significant Irish record of 1:42.15 to finish fourth, surpassing competitors like Mohamed Attaoui, Max Burgin, Navasky Anderson, and Tshepiso Masalela.
This race marked the first instance where eight men finished under 1:43 in a single event.
Additionally, the Netherlands' Jessica Schilder clinched the women's shot put gold on Saturday. Schilder, 26, achieved her season-best throw of 20.29 meters on her final attempt to secure victory, narrowly edging out Chase Jackson from the United States, the defending champion, who recorded 20.21 meters for silver.
New Zealand's Maddison-Lee Wesche showcased remarkable composure under pressure, claiming bronze with a personal best of 20.06 meters.