Shining star Chebet hungry for world and Olympic titles
Kenya's Beatrice Chebet celebrates winning and taking the gold medal in the women's 5000m final athletics event at the Alexander Stadium, in Birmingham on day ten of the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, central England, on August 7, 2022.
What you need to know:
- McColgan won silver in 14:42.14 and Jepleting settled for bronze in 14:48.24.
- “It’s only by the grace of God that I have progressed well over the years, and this year particularly stands out,” said Chebet.
In Birmingham
Newly crowned 5,000 metres Commonwealth Games champion Beatrice Chebet’s gradual rise to stardom appears unstoppable.
After claiming the title in 14 minutes and 38.21 seconds at Alexander Stadium in Birmingham on Sunday, she has now set her sights on the world and Olympic medals.
Chebet won the World Athletics Under-20 Championships 5,000m in Tampere, Finland in 2018 followed by the World Cross Country Under-20 Championship title in 2019 and the Africa Under-20 5,000m crown the same year.
Then the 22-year-old would clinch the national 5,000m title in April this year, and went on to lift the Africa 5,000m title in June before bagging silver at the World Athletics Championships in Oregon on July 9.
The peerless Chebet would storm to the lead for the first time with 200m to go, zooming past compatriot Selah Jepleting and freshly minted Scottish 10,000m Commonwealth champion Eilish McColgan to win.
It was Kenya’s sixth gold medal at the Championships with Chebet’s victory ensuring that Kenya retained the title Hellen Obiri won during the 2018 edition in Gold Coast.
"Obiri gave me her blessings in Oregon. She commanded me to go out and conquer in Birmingham," said Chebet.
McColgan won silver in 14:42.14 and Jepleting settled for bronze in 14:48.24.
“It’s only by the grace of God that I have progressed well over the years, and this year particularly stands out,” said Chebet.
“After testing silver at the world championships, your guess is as good as mine on my next year’s mission at the Budapest World Athletics Champions and later the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.
"I am unstoppable. God has been good to me. It has taken a lot of hard work,” said Chebet who dedicated her medal to Athletics Kenya President Jack Tuwei, saying that he has been a father figure to her.
“I know Kenyans are proud of me and I thank them for praying for us,” said Chebet, adding that she vowed to win in Birmingham after falling short at the world championships.
“I knew I was the strongest in the field and I would beat McColgan or anybody with my superb finishing kick,” said Chebet, the 2019 World Cross Country Under-20 champion.
“Tuwei has always wanted the best for me,” said Chebet, who vowed to bring back the World 5,000m next year.
Jepleting, who had last represented Kenya in 2015, declared that she is back after bagging bronze.
