Paris 2024 : Is Lilian Kasait Kenya's dark horse in chase for maiden Olympic women's 10,000m title?

Kenya has, surprisingly, won only four medals in the women’s 10,000m at the Olympic Games and none has been gold. 

And as the trio of Beatrice Chebet, Margret Chelimo and Lilian Kasait carry Kenya's hopes to finally break that jinx, the latter is banking on her Tokyo experience to propel her to the podium. 

The World 5km silver medalist, born 3 May 1997, Keiyo District, made her Olympic debut at the 2021 Covid-19-delayed Games in Tokyo finishing 12th in the women’s 5000m after clocking 14:55.85.

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She made sure to book another trip to the global Games with an impressive performance at the Prefontaine Classic, the event used by Athletics Kenya to select its representatives in the distance, where she clocked 29:26.89 to clinch third place.

Making the podium would see the 27-year-old who is yet to replicate her youth career at the senior level etch her name as one of Kenya's medalists at the Games. 

In 2013, she beat Ethiopia's Berhan Demiesa to take the 3000m title at the 2013 World Youth Championships. The following year she placed fifth in the junior race at the African Cross Country Championships, sharing in the team gold. 

She pre-fixed a win at the Kenyan junior trials with a 3000m best of 8:53.41 minutes on her IAAF Diamond League debut in Doha.

At the 2014 World Junior Championships, she was, however, outdone by American Mary Cain, settling for silver. 

At the senior level, she announced herself with bronze at the World Cross Country Championships as part of a Kenyan sweep of the top six places, where Irene Cheptai won. 

She was, however, unable to replicate the same at the 2019 edition held in Aarhus, Denmark as she finished 12th. She won team silver.

The long-distance runner, won gold in 5000m at the Africa Games the same year but faltered at the World Championships, finishing fifth in the same distance. 

In Budapest last year, she competed in the 5000m, finishing 10th. 

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Her task, however, is not easy as she faces a loaded field headlined by compatriot and world 10,000m record holder Chebet who is making her Games debut. 

However, heading to the Games with the second fastest time ( 29:26.89) behind Gudaf Tsegay (29:05.92) should give her some confidence despite the depth of the field. 

The final in Paris will also feature Sifan Hassan, out to defend her title.