Beatrice Chebet wins second Olympics gold

By Peter Ochieng

Kenyan Beatrice Chebet has won her second gold medal at the ongoing Paris Olympics Games in France.

Chebet won gold in the women 10000m race on Friday night, days after winning gold in the 50000m race early this week.

The World Record holder ran in a time of 30:43.25 to win a sprint contest against Italian Nadia Battocletti who finished second in a new national record of 30:43.35.

Dethroned champion Sifan Hassan of the Netherlands clinched bronze in third, clocking a season’s best of 30:44.12.

Chebet's two Kenyan teammates, Margaret Chelimo and Lilian Kasait finished out of the medal bracket, as curtains of the Paris Olympics draw to a near close.

The 24-year-old 'smiling assassin' as Chebet is known in athletics circles becomes the first woman to do a double at Olympics in the 5000m and the 10000m races since Ethiopia's Tirunesh Dibaba in 2012, during the London Olympics.

Cabinet Secretary (CS) for Sports and Youth Affairs Onesmus Kipchumba Murkomen was among leaders who took to social media to congratulate her.

"Congratulations, Beatrice Chebet, on your stunning triumph in the 10,000m Women's Finals! Your phenomenal victory, coming hot on the heels of your gold medal in the 5,000m race, has etched your name in the annals of history as one of Africa's finest."

"Margaret Chelimo and Lilian Kasait have proved their mettle too, underlining our resilience as a nation."

"As a Ministry, we are committed to restoring Kenya's glory in the athletics and other sports. That's why I am here in Paris to support our team and meet with global heads of sports federations to find ways of collaboration. I'm determined to change the management of sports for the greater good and turn around our fortunes for the benefit of our sportsmen and women," added the newly sworn in CS.

Kenyans expect more medals in the men and women marathon, women 1500m and men 800m to add to the tally of 6 medals so far.