Bahrain’s Winfred Yavi won the women’s Olympic 3,000 metres steeplechase gold medal on Tuesday, dethroning Uganda’s Peruth Chemutai who had to settle for silver.
“This is like a dream come true. It’s something special,” Yavi told reporters.
Yavi jumped for joy after crossing the line, having overtaken Chemutai with an explosive final sprint that left the Ugandan who had led most of the race unable to respond.
Chemutai was in shock after Yavi, 24yrs, stole the finish to add the Olympic title to last year’s world championship, setting an Olympic record time of 8 minutes 52.76 seconds.
Kenyan 20-year-old Faith Cherotich, ranked third in the world, claimed bronze on her Olympic debut.
Kenya’s Beatrice Chepkoech took an early lead and was shoulder-to-shoulder with Chemutai but faded in the last lap and ended sixth, while France’s Alice Finot celebrated her fourth-place finish in a very fast race.
Source: Kuwait News Agency