Olympic 5,000m silver medallist Kenya’s
Hellen Obiri claimed her first major win when she ran a tactical race to
dethrone Ethiopian Almaz Ayana of the World 5,000m title at the Olympic
Stadium in London on Sunday.
After a breathtaking mind
game, Ayana and Obiri broke from the pack with 1,200m gone, with the
Kenyan trailing the Ethiopian for the better part of the race.
Ayana
led through the bell before Obiri teased the Ethiopian for a moment
after injecting some pace. However, it is Obiri, who stepped on her gas
pedal with 300m to go overtaking the Olympic and World 10,000m champion
to win in 14 minutes and 34.86 seconds.
Ayana settled
for silver in a season’s best of 14:40.35 with Dutch Sifan Hassan
atoning for her failure to medal in the 1,500m final with bronze in
14:42.73.
The feat saw Obiri, the 2012 World Indoor
3,000m champion end Kenya’s six-year drought for its third World 5,000m
title after Vivian Cheruiyot’s exploits in 2009 Berlin and 2011 Daegu.
The
race started slowly with Ayana dictating the pace through 400m and 800m
in 1:21.77 and 2:40.74 respectively before another Ethiopian Senbere
Teferi took the pack through 1,000m in 3:18.00 with Obiri and Ayana in
pursuit.
Ayana took the lead with Obiri taking cue for a
scintillating show- down that saw Obiri lead for the first time with
300m to go for victory.
Obiri said advice from Vivian Cheruiyot before the final did the trick.
Obiri said advice from Vivian Cheruiyot before the final did the trick.
“I was planning to go in front but she told me not to attempt the move.
She was firm that I stay behind her until the right time,” Obiri said.
“She told me to be patient no matter what and only kick in the last 400m.”
“She told me to be patient no matter what and only kick in the last 400m.”
Obiri
is glad that the trick worked as she claimed her first world title on
her third attempt, twice in 1,500m and once in 5,000m.
“I
had a lot of pressure from my fans and I had just to deliver,” said
Obiri, who is targeting to run in two more World Championships.
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