Bahrain’s Yavi wins gold in women’s Olympic 3,000m steeplechase
PARIS: Bahrain’s Winfred Yavi clinched the gold medal in the women’s Olympic 3,000 meters steeplechase on Tuesday, dethroning Uganda’s defending champion Peruth Chemutai, who settled for silver. Yavi, 24, executed a stunning final sprint, overtaking Chemutai and setting an Olympic record time of 8 minutes 52.76 seconds.
Chemutai, who led for most of the race, was unable to respond to Yavi’s explosive finish and appeared shocked by the turn of events. Yavi, who also holds last year’s world championship title, expressed her elation after the race. “This is like a dream come true. It’s something special,” she told reporters. “It means a lot to me and also to the country.”
Kenyan 20-year-old Faith Cherotich, ranked third globally, secured the bronze medal in her Olympic debut. Kenya’s Beatrice Chepkoech took an early lead and matched Chemutai stride-for-stride but faded in the final lap, finishing sixth. France’s Alice Finot celebrated a strong fourth-place finish in what was a remarkably fast race.