There was controversy following the women’s 5000m final at Paris 2024 as Faith Kipyegon won silver, was disqualified, and then reinstated.
The Kenyan was adjudged to have “obstructed” Ethiopian Gudaf Tsegay heading into the final lap at the Stade de France, as Kipyegon and compatriot Beatrice Chebet kicked clear of defending champion Sifan Hassan.
Chebet had more in the tank to overtake her team-mate on the home stretch to claim gold, and Kipyegon settled for silver, with Hassan’s mission for triple gold at Paris 2024 failing to get off the ground as she was forced to settle for bronze.
That was until it emerged that Kipyegon had been disqualified from the race following her collision which resulted in the former losing her silver medal, and Hassan being promoted a place from bronze.
Nadia Battocletti was also upgraded to take bronze following the disqualification, but she would be relegated back off the podium after Kipyegon was reinstated into second place, with Hassan back into third after a successful immediate appeal from Athletics Kenya, who announced the reversal on their social media account.
“Congratulations to Faith Kipyegon, her silver medal has been reinstated,” the statement read.
“Kenya’s team officials led by Milka Chemos, Bernard Ouma, and team manager Peter Angwenyi successfully appealed and won her case. Viva Kenya.”
“Oh, and that was not good from Tsegay,” said Tim Hutchings on Eurosport commentary of the incident.
“She [Tsegay] didn’t get ahead of Kipyegon, leaned in on her and then pushed her out of the way. That was dreadful.”
Hassan, who previously announced her return to the track after switching to the marathon full-time, was bidding to retain her Olympic title at 5000m on Monday night.
Hassan began the race right at the back of a star-studded field, and continued to bring up the rear for the best part of two and a half kilometres, before she began to ease herself into contention with six and a half laps to go.
The field began to stretch as the pace increased, with Hassan clinging on as the frontrunners collided and threatened to bump each other out of the race.
That was particularly the case on the penultimate lap when Tsegay knocked into Kipyegon, who led, and the former world record holder at this distance was clipped once more, this time by her compatriot Margaret Kipkemboi.
Despite relinquishing her 5000m title, Hassan will go again in her 10000m defence on Friday, August 9, before she competes in the women’s marathon on the closing Sunday.
Hassan set a time of 2:13.44 at the Chicago Marathon last year, which was the second-fastest women’s marathon time in history, and that followed her magnificent comeback victory at the London Marathon earlier in the year, when she made her competitive debut at the 26.4-mile distance.
“I am astonished, I have to say,” Hutchings said on Eurosport afterwards. “I think Tsegay was pushing in on Kipyegon, who was only trying to protect her area, her zone. If anything, from those pictures and what I’ve witnessed so far, Chris, I think Tsegay should have been disqualified. I’m utterly flabbergasted.”
Chris Dennis, on co-commentary duty for Eurosport, could not believe what he was hearing when the news broke that Kipyegon had been stripped of her medal.
“It’s got to be reversed,” he said.
“There will be an appeal, of course, from the Kenyan federation, but if anything they’ve got it 180 degrees wrong. Tsegay, there’s no doubt about it, was up alongside Kipyegon, got a few inches in front of her, and then tried to move in left to sort of squeeze her against the rail.
“What are you supposed to do? Stumble, give ground? Lose your stride? No, you’re entitled to give her a nudge.”
“She held her line,” Hutchings added.
“It was her line. I don’t think we’ve heard the last of that. There will, almost definitely be an appeal.”
‘How is that possible?’ – Hassan reacts to INITIAL disqualification and promotion to silver
Hassan found out that she had been bumped up to second place when she spoke to Eurosport afterwards.
The Dutchwoman could not believe that the Kenyan had been disqualified, and sportingly emphasised that she hoped that the decision would be overturned and Kipygeon would receive her silver medal.
“I am very happy,” Hassan told Eurosport Netherlands’ Marc Neven, still thinking that she had won bronze. “It is fantastic. I’ve won a medal, I’m just really happy.”
“Were you told why she (Kipyegon) received a disqualification?” Neven asked the Tokyo 2020 champion.
“You’ve won a silver medal,” Neven exclaimed.
“How is that possible? Why?” Hassan asked.
“We just saw on the screen that there was a DQ,” Neven said.
“Really? Really? Oh what a shame,” Hassan responded.
Asked if she thought it was a surprise, the 31-year-old athlete said: “It doesn’t really matter to me. I’m happy with the bronze medal and I hope that she [Kipyegon] doesn’t lose her silver medal.”
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Neven also asked Hassan about her mammoth three-event campaign in Paris, where she intends to compete in the 10000m – defending her Tokyo title – and run in the women’s marathon before the Games is out.
“I’m really under a lot of pressure,” Hassan replied.
“It’s incredible. I’m doing three distances, but I only have one day rest.
“The men have the 10km, then a day rest and then the marathon, so I want to make everything complete first and then I’m going to think about medals.
“After the 5km, I wanted to go home. But after the 10km, I will have rested enough to do the marathon. That’s why I trained so much, because I wanted to get my stress levels down. Thanks for this and we shall see.”