Kenya’s Beatrice Chebet has added another gold medal to her growing collection, winning the women’s 5,000 metres title at the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo on Saturday with a time of 14:54.36.
The victory means Chebet has secured the distance double — 10,000m and 5,000m — echoing her triumphs at the Paris 2024 Olympics.
From the starting gun, the race was less about record-breaking pace and more about tactical positioning. The early laps were run conservatively, with competitors carefully placing themselves amid the field.
Among the leaders were Chebet and her compatriot Faith Kipyegon, themselves no strangers to rivalry, and Italy’s Nadia Battocletti, who had already shown strong form during the championship.
As the bell lap sounded, Kipyegon made her move, surging ahead in the final lap, attempting to push Chebet into a response. But Chebet, known for her devastating kick in the final stages, responded superbly.
In the home straight she closed the gap and then powered ahead to cross the line first. Kipyegon followed closely, finishing with a season’s best of 14:55.07, while Battocletti claimed bronze in 14:55.42.
With this gold, Chebet not only defended her status as the world’s leading long-distance runner but also fulfilled a goal she had set for these championships: to complete the 5,000m/10,000m double, something few in history have achieved.
She captured 10,000m gold earlier in the competition, breaking away late in the race to win in a thrilling finish.
BEATRICE GETS THE DOUBLE
‘s Beatrice Chebet wins the 5000m after a phenomenal sprint to the finish line with 14:54.36, just ahead of her teammate @Kipyegon_Faith
‘s Nadia Battocletti grabs the bronze with 14:55.42 #WorldAthleticsChamps pic.twitter.com/hkPbWALLoD
— World Athletics (@WorldAthletics) September 20, 2025
Chebet’s path to this moment has been marked by astonishing accomplishments. Earlier in the season she made history by becoming the first woman ever to run the 5,000 metres on the track in less than 14 minutes, clocking 13:58.06 at the Prefontaine Classic in Eugene.
She also owns the women’s world record in the 10,000 metres (28:54.14) set in Eugene in May 2024.
When asked about her race in Tokyo, Chebet said, “It was a tough, very tactical race… I ran the last 800m really hard… my mind was like I was in a 1500m race.”
Outside of the track, Chebet’s background helps illustrate both her humility and her formidable mental strength. Born in Kericho County, Kenya in 2000, she was introduced to competitive running early.
She went to Saramek Secondary School in Londiani, and in 2016 she joined the Lemotit Athletics Club. Her rise was not without struggle, but she benefited from the encouragement of her family, especially her grandmother, who Chebet has publicly credited with keeping her motivated through early training fears, doubts and setbacks.
That faith in herself paid dividends: at age 18 she won the Kenyan Under-20s 5000m and, shortly afterwards, became the first Kenyan woman and the first non-Ethiopian since 2006 to win the 5000m title at the World U20 Championships.
Over time, she transitioned smoothly to senior competition, claiming cross country, Diamond League, Olympic, and world records and titles. Every major distance she has contested — 5,000m, 10,000m, cross country — has seen her rise to the top often ahead of expectations.