Tokyo & Berlin – Kenya once again stamped its dominance on the global athletics stage this weekend, with a series of stunning performances at the World Athletics Championships Tokyo 2025 and the Berlin Marathon, producing multiple gold medals and rewriting history in the process.
At the Japan National Stadium, Beatrice Chebet and Faith Kipyegon delivered a sensational 1-2 finish in the women’s 5000m final on Saturday night, while Emmanuel Wanyonyi produced a championship record to claim the men’s 800m crown. Hours later, in Berlin, Sabastian Sawe stormed to victory with one of the fastest marathon times in history.
Chebet Repeats Golden Double with 5000m Title in Tokyo
One week after winning the 10,000m crown, Beatrice Chebet completed a remarkable long-distance double, sprinting past her close friend and compatriot Faith Kipyegon in the final 100m to claim the 5000m title in 14:54.36.
The win mirrors her Olympic triumph in Paris 2024, making the 25-year-old only the third woman after Tirunesh Dibaba (2005) and Vivian Cheruiyot (2011) to secure both 5000m and 10,000m titles at a single World Championships.
“Running with the likes of Faith and Nadia [Battocletti], you just have to believe in yourself,” said Chebet. “It will be amazing bringing home gold and silver to Kenya. Me and Faith have been friends for a long time. We motivate each other, and I’m really pleased with our performances.”
Kipyegon, the reigning 1500m world champion, settled for silver in 14:55.07, while Italy’s Nadia Battocletti took bronze in 14:55.42—her second medal at these championships.
Wanyonyi Sets Championship Record in 800m
In the men’s 800m final, Emmanuel Wanyonyi delivered one of the fastest two-lap races in history, clocking 1:41.86 to set a new championship record and secure Kenya’s eighth world title in the event.
The 21-year-old employed a gun-to-tape strategy, mirroring his Olympic victory in Paris, and held off Algeria’s Djamel Sedjati (1:41.90) and Canada’s Marco Arop (1:41.95) in a blistering race where eight men dipped under 1:43 for the first time ever.
“I wanted to run my personal best here, and I’m happy to walk away with the championship record,” said Wanyonyi, who received advice from 800m legend David Rudisha before the race.
Sawe Storms to Berlin Marathon Glory
Meanwhile, in Berlin, Sabastian Sawe continued Kenya’s winning streak by clocking 2:02:16, the equal ninth-fastest marathon time in history, to secure his second World Marathon Major title of the year after victory in London.
The performance further solidifies Sawe’s reputation as one of the world’s leading marathoners and extends Kenya’s dominance on the global road racing scene.
With gold medals on the track in Tokyo and on the roads in Berlin, Kenya’s athletes have reaffirmed the nation’s status as the powerhouse of world distance running—delivering performances that combined tactical brilliance, raw speed, and historic achievements.
Credit: World Athletics
