Paris Olympics: Kenyan trio closer to reclaiming 5000m title

This year's 5000m women's final set for 5 August has all the ingredients of a thriller as the best of middle distance runners clash for the title. 

The qualifying heats on Friday 2 August produced little surprises as all the big names sailing through, setting up the edge-of-the-seat final. 

Three Kenyan representatives,, Faith Kipyegon, Beatrice Chebet and Margret Chelimo will be right in the mix with a clean sweep not a far fetch despite the rich field. 

LIVE: Kenyan trio safely through 5000m heats

In the first heat against nemesis Gudaf Tsegay, Sifan Hassan and compatriot Chelimo, Kipyegon stayed with the pack despite an early take off by Japanese runner Yuma Yamamoto in sweltering heat. 

The pack remained together with none of the big names interested in chasing Yuma who was finally realed in ten minutes into the race with four laps to go. 

Moments later the field disintegrated to ten athletes, a quick lap further dropping one more athlete to make it an easy race as the top eight were guaranteed a place in the next stage. 

With a big group wrestling for places, Kipyegon made sure to be a step ahead, effectual avoiding any mishaps as she clocked 14:57.56 to effortlessly win the heat. 

Chelimo placed fourth in 14:57.70 behind Hassan who clocked 14:57.65 despite maintaining her signature style of running from the back, only kicking late for the finish line and Nadia Battocletti (14:57.65). Tsegay settled for fifth in 14:57.84 to go through. 

Kipyegon, making her debut in the 5000m at the Olympics, is hoping to replicate her Budapest performance where she won both this race and her specialty, 1500m. 

The world record holder's only 5,000m race of the season before the Games was at the Kenyan Olympics trials in June. 

Meanwhile in the second head, another world record holder, Chebet, was the favourites, staying in the middle of the pack in the initial stages. She moved ahead with 8 laps to go, comfortably racing behind Australian Batt Doyle Isobel.

As if reading from Kipyegon's script, Chebet went a step ahead, avoiding the jostling for places to win the heat in a slow 15:00.73 ahead of Ethiopia's Medina Eisa (15:00.82) and Rose Davies (15:00.86)