Bahraini Winfred Yavi, who was born in Kenya, wins the steeplechase gold medal
Kenyan-born Bahraini Winfred Yavi defeated Uganda’s Peruth Chemutai, who had to settle for silver, to win the gold medal in the women’s 3,000-meter steeplechase at the Olympics on Tuesday.
After reaching the finish line, Yavi leaped with excitement, having outran Chemutai with a furious last sprint that prevented the Ugandan, who had led the most of the race, from catching up.
When Yavi, 24, swiped the finish line to add the Olympic crown to the world championship from the previous year and established an Olympic record time of 8 minutes 52.76 seconds, Chemutai was taken aback.
“It feels like a dream realized.” It’s unique,” Yavi informed the press. “It has great personal and national significance.”
Third-ranked Faith Cherotich, a Kenyan, won bronze in her first Olympic competition at the age of twenty.
Beatrice Chepkoech of Kenya seized the lead early and was running shoulder to shoulder with Chemutai; however, she faltered in the final lap and finished sixth. Alice Finot of France was happy with her fourth-place result in an extremely fast race.
Despite having the world record of 8:44.32, 33-year-old Chepkoech has never taken home an Olympic gold in the race.
To become the first Ugandan woman to win an Olympic medal in any event, Chemutai stunned favorite Chepkoech and stole the gold in Tokyo.
