Beatrice Chebet struck gold for Kenya in the women’s 10km race at the World Cross Country Championships at Mount Panorama Circuit, Bathurst, Australia on Saturday.
Chebet, seemingly headed for silver as World 10,000 metres record holder Letesenbet Gidey of Ethiopia had built an healthy lead in front, zoomed past the Ethiopian after she fell metres to the finish line to win the race.
Letesenbet had overtaken Chebet at the hills challenge but the Ethiopian took an awkward tumble and collapsed at the home straight with the finish line in sight.
That is when Chebet seized the moment, bursting past Gidey who was on the floor to win in 33 minutes and 48 seconds.
“It is God’s work. I never knew I would win. The best I was expecting was a silver. I was ill during the trials but you never know with sports. I thank Athletics Kenya for believing in me,” Chebet said.
Gidey’s compatriot would power on to take silver in 33:56 as Kenya’s Agnes Jebet closed the last podium place in 34:00 followed by the Kenyan trials winner Grace Loibach in 34:13.
Edinah Jebitok and two-time world cross country champion Emily Chebet settled ninth and 10th in 34:45 and 34:40 respectively as Kenya reclaimed the team title from Ethiopia.
The victory by Chebet, who won the world under-20 title in 2019 in Aarhus, Denmark, saw Kenya win her eighth consecutive women’s 10km title.
Chebet, the Commonwealth 5,000m champion, failed to finish her race at the Kenyan trials but was given a wild card.
The gamble has now paid off for the country with the 2018 World Under-20 5,000m champion winning the gold.
