This archive report was first published on 30 September 2019.
Kenyan distance runner Agnes Tirop secured her second consecutive world bronze medal in the 10,000m race at the World Athletics Championships in Doha, Qatar, on September 30, 2019.
Under sweltering heat, the top contenders, including Hellen Obiri and Sifan Hassan of the Netherlands, bided their time at the back of the field as German Alina Reh led the pack through 3000m in 9:29.69.
Rosemary Wanjiru of Kenya made the first significant move, taking the lead and pulling a group of Africans behind her.
By the 4km mark, a significant split had occurred, with Wanjiru leading her fellow Kenyans, Obiri and Tirop, followed by the Ethiopian trio of Letesenbet Gidey, Netsanet Gudeta, and Senbere Teferi.
Hassan took a lap to latch onto the lead group, which now contained seven athletes.
The race settled into a familiar pattern, with the Kenyans taking turns to set the pace. Gudeta was the first to crack, slipping off the back of the lead pack with two laps remaining.
With two laps remaining, Gidey held a 10-meter advantage over Hassan and Tirop.
Obiri was a further 10 meters back, fading quickly out of the podium picture.
Hassan repelled all opposition to land her maiden world outdoor title in a Dutch record 30:17.33, destroying Gidey with a 61-second final lap.
Gidey won silver in a personal best 30:21.23, while Tirop secured back-to-back bronze medals in a personal best 30:25.20.
Tirop expressed satisfaction with her third-place finish, saying, “Before the race, I was thinking about silver or bronze so I fulfilled my expectations. We knew Hassan was strong at shorter distances and we knew her from the Diamond League performances.”
She added, “We tried to chase her until the finish but she was stronger and she won. This medal is very important to Kenya. I am very proud of this medal also because of my family.”
