Kenyan employs her incredible kick again to repeat her Olympic 5000m and 10,000m feat in Tokyo.

Beatrice Chebet might now be a 5000m and 10,000m gold medallist at these World Championships, but she is also proving herself to be very adept over 200m. 

Just as she had done over the 25-lap event a few days ago, the Kenyan employed a fearsome late kick off the final bend to catapult herself to a repeat of the golden distance double she also managed to achieve at last year’s Olympics. 

This time, she held off 1500m Tokyo gold medallist and team-mate Faith Kipyegon with a winning time of 14:54.36, while the defending 5000m champion clocked 14:55.07.

Italy’s Nadia Battocletti also picked up her second medal of the championships with a time of 14:55.42, while Shelby Houlihan of the USA, who had led for much of what ultimately became a last-lap burn-up, finished fourth in 14:57.42, just ahead of Ethiopia’s Gudaf Tsegay (14:57.82). British champion Hannah Nuttall was eighth in 15:01.25.

It was a cagey, tactical race to begin with that set off at a sedate pace – Houlihan and her team-mate Josette Andrew happy to exchange the lead at the front of the pack, which went through 1000m in 3:17.13. Houlihan was still out in front at the halfway mark, reached in 7:51.29, with just over a second covering the entire field.

With two laps remaining, the home crowd got very excited about Nozomi Tanaka’s arrival in third place but it was only to be a preamble as the main contenders made their presence felt. 

Battocletti had moved to the front as the bell sounded, by which time Kipyegon had arrived on the scene to sit on her shoulder, with Chebet and Ethiopia’s Gudaf Tsegay in close attendance. 

With around 300m to go, Kipyegon played her hand and surged into the lead, attempting to burn her rivals off. But Chebet, the 5000m and 10,000m world record-holder, came with her and, choosing her moment carefully, hit the accelerator to move clear. 

"Going home with two gold medals makes me really happy,” said the 25-year-old. “I wanted to add the 5000m again [to the 10,000m], like I did in Paris. I've had an amazing season. I always encourage myself and believe we don't need to limit ourselves. When you do a good training session, you can face any challenge. 

“Running with the likes of Faith and Nadia, you just have to believe in yourself.”

Kipyegon added: “My friend Beatrice Chebet is the best. I knew it was going to be a battle until the finish line and it was a great one."

For Nuttall, there was an element of disbelief at having achieved her pre-race aim. 

“I realistically said I would like to be top eight, but there was no part of me that actually thought that I would be top eight!” she said.

“I can't believe that I've actually done that. It was hard two days ago to be top eight in the heat [to qualify], so to then be eighth in the final is incredible, and I'm so happy about it.”