Elbows fly, DQ'D runner gets medal back in wild 5,000m final
At the Olympics, long-distance races typically take second billing to the sprints.
But pity anyone who turned away from Monday's women's 5,000-metres final, 12½ laps of discord and drama unfolding on the Stade de France oval.
There were world record holders throwing elbows, fellow countrywomen kicking into a sprint and trying to take the other down, and a runner soon to be the most exhausted woman in Paris embarking on her Olympic mileage from hell.
There were medals given and medals taken away. There were tears in the media zone and protests behind the scenes, all until vindication came before the clock struck midnight.
Kenya's Beatrice Chebet scorched teammate Faith Kipyegon down the straightaway to win gold in 14 minutes, 28.56 seconds.
Then Kipyegon was disqualified for obstructing Ethiopia's Gudaf Tsegay, but her silver medal was reinstated upon appeal, giving Kenya the top two finishers.
“I'm really happy that Faith (got) her medal back,” said Sifan Hassan, the bronze medallist. “Faith deserves her silver medal.”
During the race, with Kipyegon leading on the inside. Tsegay cut in and Kipyegon, while trying to protect her space, reacted by grabbing Tsegay's left elbow. That response caused Tsegay to shove even more, while Kipyegon tried to keep her balance to avoid running off the track.
Chebet and Hassan together handled the news conference, with Hassan now a bronze medal winner instead of silver and Italy's Nadia Battocletti the odd one out. When Kipyegon was disqualified, Battocletti had moved into third place. By the end, she became a footnote to the wildest race of the night.
For Hassan, the action is only beginning.
She plans to run in the 10,000 and the marathon.
“The marathon gets in the brain,” Hassan said. “I'm really freakin' scared of the marathon.”