Tokyo 2020 - World record holder Joshua Cheptegei wins 5000m for first Olympic title

ByRichard Newman

Updated 06/08/2021 at 13:07 GMT

Cheptegei produced a 55-second final lap to win the race in 12:58.15 ahead of Canada's Mohammad Ahmed and American Paul Chelimo. The victory added to the 10,000m silver he won last week. Britain's Andy Butchart finished 11th. You want it? We have it. Stream every Olympic event live on discovery+.

Joshua Cheptegui added the Olympic 5000m title to his world record in a race which was just short of achieving a Games best time.

The Ugandan was forced to settle for silver in the 10,000m, but made amends by winning the shorter distance in 12:58.15, less than half a second slower than the Olympic record set by Kenenisa Bekele in 2008.

Cheptegui finished ahead of Canada's Mohammad Ahmed and American Paul Chelimo to succeed Mo Farah as champion.

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Britain's Andy Butchart fell off the leading pack with around 1000m to go, finishing 11th.

Cheptegei, who revealed he had been struggling with a heel injury heading into the Games, made sure he was near the front of the field right from the start.

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But he will be thankful to his team-mate Jacob Kiplimo, who did much of the heavy lifting early on, setting a pace which always looked like it would dip below 13 minutes.

It was easily the quickest 5000m Olympic final since Bekele’s victory in Beijing 13 years ago, and Cheptegei looked to ease to victory when he took full control on the final lap. Ahmed finished well, but never appeared likely to overhaul his rival.

The victory makes the Ugandan, whose world record stands at 12:35.36, an Olympic and world champion, adding to his 10,000m win at Doha 2019.

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