Faith Kipyegon experienced a range of emotions on Monday at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Controversy erupted in Monday’s women’s 5,000m race when Kipyegon finished second but was disqualified for interfering with a fellow runner and then reinstated under appeal and listed as second behind compatriot Beatrice Chebet.
“I’m really happy for Faith to get a medal back,” said third-place finisher Sifan Hassan of the Netherlands. According to the Washington Post“Faith deserves a silver medal.”
The drama unfolded on the penultimate lap as Kipyegon and Ethiopia’s Gudaf Tsegay began battling for position, hand-checking each other and colliding at one point.
A close-up on the NBC broadcast showed Tsegay’s arm in front of Kipyegon, who caught it and pulled, frustrating Tsegay, and the two eventually continued racing at the Stade de France.
Kipyegon finished second in a time of 14:29.60, more than a second slower than Chebet’s 14:28.56, while Tsegay dropped to ninth place.
However, the placement was initially ignored after the umpire disqualified Kipyegon.
According to the Washington Post, the 1,500m world record holder was inconsolable after learning the news and buried her face in the flag and cried.
“I feel very sorry for Faith. I hope justice is served. Faith has done nothing wrong,” Chebet told the outlet shortly after. “I think ultimately she’ll win (the medal).”
2024 Paris Olympics
According to NBC’s Mike Tirico, the Kenyan association appealed the decision, and tournament officials overturned it more than an hour later, at 11:16 p.m. ET.
Hassan, who climbed as high as second before dropping to third, had no qualms about the decision.
Italy’s Nadia Battocletti should have been the biggest beneficiary of moving up from fourth to third place, but she narrowly missed out on a medal.
“I’m happy for you guys, but it doesn’t matter to me,” Hassan said. From ESPN.
