Faith Kipyegon’s relief was palpable as the Jury of Appeal reinstated her silver medal in the Paris Olympics 5000m race on Monday night, following a controversial disqualification earlier in the competition.
The decision not only restored Kipyegon’s position but also secured a historic 1-2 finish for Kenya in the 12.5-lap event.
Initially disqualified for obstruction against Ethiopian world record holder Gudaf Tsegay, Kipyegon and her team quickly launched an appeal to overturn the decision.
The Jury of Appeal’s reversal saw Kipyegon reclaim her silver, with world 10,000m record holder Beatrice Chebet taking gold.
Chebet clinched the top spot with a time of 14:28.56, while Kipyegon finished just behind at 14:29.60.
“I was in front and she tried to come in front and I told her, ‘please, you will push me inside, come slowly I will excuse you,’ and she kept pushing and she put me in an awkward situation. I did not push anyone,” Kipyegon explained, shedding light on the incident that led to her initial disqualification.
The decision also resulted in a shift in the medal standings, with immediate former champion Sifan Hassan’s medal downgraded to bronze and Italian Nadia Battocletti moving back to fourth place.
Kipyegon, who will defend her 1500m title on Tuesday at 11:05 a.m., expressed a quick shift in focus:
“I’m disappointed but I will now focus on my race tomorrow.” She aims to win three successive titles in the 1500m event.
