Summary
As the two time defending Olympic champion, two time reigning World Champion and world record holder, improving her own previous world record Just a month before the Olympics, Faith Kipyegon had all the check marks. The returning silver medalist is Laura Muir, who was also bronze medalist at the 2022 World Championships. Returning bronze medalist Sifan Hassan was on a different agenda, running the 10,000 metres just 40 minutes after the start of this race and the Marathon, starting less than 36 hours later. Hassan also took bronze in 2023 behind silver medalist Diribe Welteji, while the 2022 silver medalist was Gudaf Tsegay. Earlier in the season, Jessica Hull became the #5 performer in history, while chasing Kipyegon to her world record. Two and a half months earlier, Tsegay became #4 virtually unassisted, beating Birke Haylom by 3 seconds. [2] [3] Haylom did not make the final.
As the final started, Tsegay ran out of the field, bumping elbows with Agathe Guillemot, to take the lead 100 metres in. Elle St. Pierre dropped in behind her. After running the first lap in 59.23, Tsegay opened up a small gap. Kipyegon moved up through the pack to fill the gap with Welteji positioning herself on Kipyegon's shoulder. Reaching 700 metres in 1:46.9, four runners had already fallen off the back including Muir. Hull moved up behind Welteji. 800 in 2:03.27, everyone waiting for the first move, Hull racing just to get back to the pack. The move happened 50 metres before the bell when Kipyegon accelerated around Tsegay. In elite invitational races, the meet director frequently employs at least one paid rabbit to sacrifice their chance to win in order to run at a fast pace to set up the runners behind them. Championship races usually are run slowly because there is no paid rabbit. Here Tsegay's fast early pace had served the role perfectly for Kipyegon. Tsegay was no longer a factor. Kipyegon hit the bell at 2:51.7 with Hull following closely. Through the penultimate turn, Welteji went around Hull, bumping elbows in the process. 1200 in 3:07.10, still six runners in the pack but Kipyegon was driving the train. Down the backstretch two more dropped off, only Welteji, Hull and Georgia Bell were still hanging on. Through the final turn, Kipyegon opened up a gap. On the other end, Muir was sprinting to bridge back to the leaders. Coming off the turn, Hull went into full sprint but Kipyegon just continued to spread the gap, opening it up to 7 metres by the finish. Halfway down the home stretch, Hull got past Welteji, with Bell a step behind. In the last 10 metres, Bell got past Welteji for the bronze. [4] With Muir, this race had the fastest 3rd through 5th places in history. [5]
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