Tokyo World Championships: Beatrice Chebet Remains Queen of the 5000m, a Royal Double After the 10,000m
21/09/2025 16:36In the stifling heat of Tokyo, Beatrice Chebet didn’t just run the 5000m—she dominated it with masterful authority, completing a legendary double: after already claiming gold in the 10,000m, the Kenyan once again emerged victorious in a thrilling final against her close friend Faith Kipyegon.
A showdown between two friends, but only one winner. On the final bend, Faith Kipyegon (31) led the 5000m at the Tokyo World Championships on Saturday. Yet on the home straight, Beatrice Chebet (25) pulled off a repeat of her Paris 2024 magic, igniting a final sprint to cross the line in 14:54.36, a time almost secondary to the drama. Her compatriot Kipyegon (14:55.07) and Italy’s Nadia Battocletti (14:55.42) completed the podium of a breathtaking final. After her 10,000m triumph, Chebet’s 5000m win cements her mark on the history of the distance. Since the Paris Olympics, the Chebet-Kipyegon duel has emerged as one of the most captivating rivalries in women’s distance running. “My friend Beatrice Chebet is the best,” Kipyegon commented after the clash, having recently dominated the 1500m and previously taken gold in Budapest. In Japan, every track enthusiast knew it would be a battle between these two, almost to the very end.
🗼 #WCHTokyo25 | 🇰🇪 DOUBLÉ DU KENYA SUR LA FINALE DU 5000M !
Beatrice Chebet décroche l'or et sa compatriote Faith Kipyegon, l'argent !
📺 Suivez le direct : https://t.co/QFMsWhP2wW pic.twitter.com/UYkBj4vm2z
— francetvsport (@francetvsport) September 20, 2025
| “I Believe We Don’t Need to Limit Ourselves”
“Coming home with two gold medals makes me really happy,” said the world-record holder for the distance (13:58.06, set in Eugene, USA, in July). “After winning the 10,000m, I wanted to add the 5000m again, just like I did in Paris. I’ve had an incredible season. I always encourage myself and I believe we don’t need to limit ourselves. When you have a good session, you can tackle any challenge. Running with Faith (Kipyegon) and Nadia (Battocletti), you just have to believe in yourself. Today wasn’t an easy race. I came here without pressure, knowing I shouldn’t stress. Whether you win or lose, you have to trust yourself and come back stronger. Bringing gold and silver to Kenya is amazing. Faith and I have been friends for a long time—we motivate each other, and I’m very satisfied with our performances. We wanted Kenya to take all three medals, but unfortunately Anes Jebet (Ngetich) didn’t manage it. I wish her all the best. She’s a strong runner, and I believe her time will come.”
| Tactics, Pace, and the Final 100 Meters
The race started cautiously, almost ceremonially, before the pace gradually increased, the two giants reading each other, gauging their strengths. Americans Shelby Houlihan (4th, 14:57.42) and Josette Andrews (6th, 15:00.25) led the pack early, while Agnes Jebet Ngetich (15th, 15:13.78) jogged at a steady tempo (3:17 per kilometer, roughly 15:40 at the halfway mark), in “easy run” mode. Unlike races where the pace is blistering from the first kilometer, this 5000m final was initially strategic. Faith Kipyegon stayed near the back before moving up after the 1500m mark.
At 600 meters from the finish, the Kenyan duo increased the tempo, but it was Battocletti who boldly took the lead at the bell. The field stretched out, with brief fluctuations in pace and sporadic surges, until Chebet and Kipyegon took control in the final kilometer. On the last bend, Kipyegon appeared well-positioned, but Chebet unleashed a decisive sprint down the home straight, maintaining just enough power to hold off her friend. Every stride counted in this razor-thin finish.
| The Double: A Historic Feat?
Winning the 10,000m/5000m double at the World Championships isn’t unprecedented, but remaining at the top across both distances in such fiercely contested races, against world-class rivals, remains rare. Chebet, after her 10,000m triumph (30:37.61), where she outpaced Battocletti and Gudaf Tsegay (5th, 14:57.82) in a dramatic finish, already confirmed she was in near-unreal form. This victory strengthens her status as one of the leading faces of women’s distance running. At the World Championships, one must go back to 2011 in Daegu, South Korea, to find a 5000m/10,000m women’s double—achieved then by Kenyan Vivian Cheruiyot.
| Battocletti: The Surprise at the Gates of the Global Stage
Nadia Battocletti, usually more prominent in longer distances, slotted perfectly into the top three, earning Italy’s seventh medal before the final day. Her third-place finish—while the two Kenyans battled—is remarkable: the Italian adds another medal to her international resume. On the European stage, she had already excelled with a 5000m/10,000m double at the 2024 European Championships in Rome and multiple cross-country titles with Italy. Trained by her father Giuliano, a former junior world champion, Battocletti had already impressed in the U23 category in Tallinn, winning the 5000m.
At the Paris 2024 Olympics, she added a precious medal with silver in the 10,000m, becoming the first Italian woman to podium at the distance. Her personal bests speak volumes: 14:23 in the 5000m, 30:38 in the 10,000m, alongside strong indoor and road performances. With 31 national titles and multiple Italian records, Nadia demonstrates not only mental strength—staying focused even when the main duel is under the spotlight—but also an ability to seize opportunities when the pace shifts and maintain her effort when it counts.
| What Hassan’s Absence Changed
Sifan Hassan, gold medalist in the 5000m at the 2021 Olympics and silver medalist at the Budapest World Championships, was absent, focusing instead on the Sydney Marathon (2:18:22, course record) on August 31. Her absence left a void but also an opportunity, which Chebet seized. The Chebet–Kipyegon duel, in this context, gained an even greater significance: a pure showdown between two athletes whose paths intersect, challenge, and respect each other—without Hassan’s shadow, it was all about the track and the rivalry.
Dorian VUILLET
Journalist
