NAIROBI, Kenya, September 13, 2025 – Newly crowned World 10,000m champion Beatrice Chebet is looking forward to competing against Faith Kipyegon in the women’s 5000m in Tokyo.
Chebet says competing against the world 5000m champion will be a honour for her and a milestone in their friendship.
“We are friends and when we come to the track, we are coming to race and also as a team. If Faith wins, I will celebrate her…if I win, she will celebrate me. That’s how the sport is supposed to be,” the double world record holder said.
The 25-year-old said she is simply content with making it to the grandest athletics competition on the world and will be comfortable with whatever result she gets in the 12-and-a-half lap competition.
“I don’t have to put myself under any pressure because I came to Tokyo as Beatrice. I just came to run my race…if I win, I congratulate myself. Making it this far is already a big achievement because this is a major competition,” she said.
Modest as she tried to sound, Chebet was undoubtedly the headline-grabber on the opening day of the World Championships after clinching the women’s 10,000m.
She channelled her inner superwoman spirit to sprint to gold with 400 metres to go, clocking….to claim the world title ahead of Italian Nadia Battocletti () and Ethiopia’s Gudaf Tsegay () in second and third respectively.
Kenya’s last gold in the same race came in 2015 courtesy of Vivian Cheruiyot.
The taste of victory is one that Chebet admitted she is going to savour for long after the curtains come down on the week-long competition.
“I have a World Cross Country title…Olympic title and now I have a world title. I am so happy for myself. I just want to thank each and everyone who has supported me…from my coach to my family to Athletics Kenya and the Ministry of Sports,” she said.
Despite the ease with which she cruised to victory, Chebet pointed out that it was not a walk in the park.
“It was not an easy race…we have Tsegay who was the defending champion…Nadia, the Olympic silver medallist…we have Agnes (Ngetich) as well. For me, what keeps me going is the mental strength,” she revealed.
Her mental strength will come in handy in a week’s time when she comes face to face with Kipyegon, who will be among the star studded athletes lining up at the start line.
The two will be flying the Team Kenya flag alongside Ngetich and Margaret Akidor.
