Ethiopia’s Selemon Barega Powers To A Sensational 10,000m Olympic Gold

Ethiopia’s  long distance runner Selemon Barega held on to win men’s 10,000m race at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics on Friday night.

The 21-year-old held off Uganda’s Joshua Cheptegei with a strong finishing kick on the last lap to win gold on 27 minutes 43.22seconds.

Cheptegei, who was the favorite to win the race, scooped silver in a season best time of 27 minutes 43.63 sec while his compatriot Jacob Kiplimo came home third clocking 27minutes 43.88.

All the Kenyan duo of Ken Kwemoi, Rhonex Kipruto watched helplessly with Ugandans coming over their right shoulder as Barega stormed past to win.

Ethiopia’s Berehu Aregawi finished just out of the medal bracket on fourth position with USA’s Fisher Grant coming in fifth position followed by Canadian champion Ahmed Mohamed.

Kenya’s medal hopeful Roders Kwemoi was 7th in 27minutes50.06 while Kipruto finished on 9^th position behind Ethiopia’s Kejelcha Yomif.

Barega joins a prestigious list of Ethiopian runners to win Olympic gold, notably Kenenisa Bekele and Haile Gebrselassie.

The 10,000m tittle was in the hands on Great Britain’s Mo Farah and his absence in Tokyo meant a new Olympic champion will be crowned in Tokyo for the first time since 2012.

Results:

1. Selemon Barega  ETH 27:43.22

2. Joshua Cheptegei UGA 27:43.63

3. Jacob Kiplimo UGA 27:43.88

4. Berihu Aregawi  ETH 27:46.16

5. Grant Fisher  USA 27:46.39

6. Mohammed Ahmed CAN 27:47.76

7. Rodgers Kwemoi KEN 27:50.06

8. Yomif Kejelcha ETH 27:52.03

9. Rhonex Kipruto KEN 27:52.78

10. Morhad Amdouni FRA 27:53.58

11. Yemaneberhan Crippa ITA 27:54.05

12. Aron Kifle ERI 28:04.06