Serial winner Beatrice Chebet aiming for Personal Best in 5000m after dominating Stockholm Diamond League

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ATHLETICS: Serial winner Beatrice Chebet aiming for Personal Best in 5000m after dominating Stockholm Diamond League

Festus Chuma 16:05 - 03.07.2023

World Cross Country champion sets her sights on achieving a remarkable feat in the upcoming race

World Cross Country champion Beatrice Chebet on Sunday clinched her second successive Diamond League win in Stockholm, Sweden.

The Kenyan athlete triumphed over a formidable field that included renowned Ethiopian athletes and set her sights on achieving a personal best in the 5000m event.

Despite being the sole Kenyan representative in the race, Chebet faced fierce competition from a group of Ethiopian runners who are known for their solidarity and teamwork.

Reflecting on her performance, the 23-year-old stated that she was undeterred by the wet weather conditions at the Olympic Stadium at the Swedish capital.

‘The first thing was to get the win today and the second was to fight with these conditions.Yes, the weather was not really good but you need to run in any conditions. It was not easy to finish the race,” she said.

Now, with her sights set on achieving a new personal best in the 5000m event, Chebet is eager to challenge herself further.

"My main goal now is the new PB at 5000m, so maybe in London, if the conditions are good, I can try to do it. I feel in good shape so anything is possible,” she added.

Chebet, who also holds the title of reigning World 5000m silver medalist, showcased her dominance by outpacing a deep field of talented runners.

Among her competitors were Lemlem Hailu, the World Indoor 3000m champion from Ethiopia, Sarah Chelengat, the Ugandan National 5000m record holder, and Jessica Hull, the Australian National 5000m record holder.

Hailu secured second place with a time of 14:38.06, closely followed by Medina Elsa, who claimed the third spot with a time of 14:40.02. 

Chelengat, who had been plagued by shin and knee injuries that kept her away from the track for most of 2021, finished fourth, while Hull, the Oceanian 1500m record holder, secured fifth place with respective times of 14:40.88 and 14:44.24.

Looking ahead, Chebet's focus remains sharp as she already has her sights set on future events. "I am already thinking about Budapest where my main target is to get on the podium at 5000m."