Kenya’s Beatrice Chebet delivered a performance of resilience and tactical brilliance to claim her first-ever world championship gold in the women’s 10,000 metres at the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo.
The Olympic champion and world-record holder crossed the finish line in 30:37.61, sealing Kenya’s first gold medal of the competition and ending her country’s decade-long wait for a women’s world title in the distance.
The 25-year-old, already celebrated for her dominance in long-distance running, added another milestone to her illustrious career. She now holds Olympic gold, a world record, and a world title, completing a rare trifecta that firmly cements her place in athletics history.
Last year, she stunned the world by shattering the 10,000m record in 28:54.14, and at the Paris 2024 Olympics she captured a historic double in the 5,000m and 10,000m.
In Tokyo, Chebet faced a field stacked with champions and rising stars, making the final one of the most anticipated races of the championships.
Early on, her Kenyan teammate Agnes Ngetich traded the lead with Ethiopia’s Gudaf Tsegay, the defending champion, while Italy’s Nadia Battocletti shadowed closely. The tension grew as the bell rang for the final lap, setting the stage for a dramatic showdown before a 55,000-capacity crowd at the national stadium.
With 150 metres to go, Chebet unleashed her trademark finishing kick, sprinting away from her rivals. Battocletti fought valiantly but had to settle for silver in 30:38.23, a new Italian record and the nation’s first-ever medal in the women’s 10,000m at the World Championships.
Tsegay, unable to match the blistering pace in the final stretch, claimed bronze in 30:39.65, her fifth world medal but a disappointment after entering as favorite.
“It was a tough, very tactical race but I ran the last 800m really hard… my mind was like I was in a 1500m race. I had to push and follow, and motivate myself, but I wanted that gold medal so much. I have never won a gold at the world championships so I was sure I had to get it,” Chebet said after the win.
Her victory was also historic for Kenya, ending a ten-year drought since Vivian Cheruiyot last brought home the women’s 10,000m crown in 2015. For Battocletti, the silver medal signaled a breakthrough on the global stage for Italy.
“It’s really big for a European girl to win a medal at this event with all the African runners. I wanted to go faster over the last 300 metres. Unfortunately, I missed a moment for the gold but I am proud. I am starting to like silver medals,” she said.
Tsegay admitted the conditions worked against her attempt to defend her title. “I did not expect such high humidity. I tried my best but the other girls were a bit faster at the finish line. That is our sport. It’s amazing and unpredictable,” she said.
Chebet’s win has sparked speculation about whether she will attempt the rare 5,000m-10,000m double in Tokyo, a feat previously achieved only by Ethiopia’s Tirunesh Dibaba in 2005 and Kenya’s Vivian Cheruiyot in 2011.
While she hinted that the long season may see her opt for rest rather than doubling, fans remain eager to see if the “Smiling Assassin” will once again rise to the challenge when the 5,000m final comes on September 20.
For now, Chebet’s golden triumph in Tokyo has secured her legacy as one of the greatest distance runners of her generation, marking her as the undisputed queen of the 10,000 metres and a standard-bearer for Kenyan athletics on the world stage.
