Obiri to double in 5000m and 10000m at Tokyo Olympics

Two time 5000m champion, Hellen Obiri will be chasing an Olympics double gold in 5000m and 10,000m in a last ditch for the only gold missing in her cabinet.

As the Olympics trials concluded at Kasarani on Saturday, 19 June, Obiri displayed excellent front running in 10,000m to clock 30:53.6 for a comfortable win ahead of Irene Cheptai who followed Obiri home with more than 30m gap separating the two women.

Obiri assuned the lead after the first lap that was completed in 1.20 and held on for the first five laps, setting the pace of the race before dropping to second place allowing Sheila Chelagat to lead for another three laps before dropping to the back of the leading pack.

Seventeen minutes into the race, Chelagat worked her way to the front of the pack again but could not handle the pace as Obiri started pulling away from the leading pack and with her went Rosemary Wanjiru and the 2017 World Cross Country champion Cheptai.

The last three laps were a solo run for Obiri with Cheptai following a distant second. There was, however, epic battle for third place as Chelagat moved her way from sixth place to third, taking advantage of Wanjiru's misfortunes, who dropped out with two laps to go.

"I run well when the races are faster and so today I chose to run at the front and just to set the pace since the first lap was slow. I am happy to have made the team and I know the competition in Tokyo will be stiff but I will manage given the events schedule gives me time to rest between the two events.

"I doubled in Doha and I must admit I had little experience in 10,000m then. That experience, however, has prepared me for this moment and I know how to go about it. I am under no pressure about who will be in the races as that is a championship and everyone will be out to win. I need this gold as it is the only one missing on my cabinet. After the Olympics I'll be leaving the track for the youngsters," said Obiri.

On her part Cheptai says that making the team against such a strong field was a suprise but was happy her training worked.

"I know the Olympics will not be easy but if we can work as a team then we will do well. I will use the experience of the World Championships to try and medal at the Olympics," said Cheptai.