Kenya's Beatrice Chebet surged to the Olympic women’s 10,000 metres gold medal in 30 minutes 43.25 seconds on Friday to add to her 5,000 title at the Games.
Italian Nadia Battocletti took silver in 30:43.35 and Dutchwoman Sifan Hassan, the gold medal winner in Tokyo, finished third in 30:44.12.
World record holder Chebet did her share of the early pace-making and when the pack broke into a sprint with one lap remaining she pulled away on the final turn to deliver Kenya's first gold medal in the event.
Battocletti, who finished third in the 5,000m but had her bronze medal taken away when Kenyan Faith Kipyegon's disqualification was overturned, made sure of her podium spot in the longer race.
Not easy
Chebet shattered the world record in the 25-lap event earlier this season, running a startling 28:54.14 in Eugene to become the first woman to break the 29-minute barrier.
"To do the 5,000m and 10,000m is not something easy," said Chebet, who added that her strategy was "just focus, and know that you can achieve. Just believe in yourself.
"I believed that I can do it. I just wanted to win the 10,000m for my country. My country has never won a gold medal (in the women’s 10,000m). So I said I wanted to be the first woman to win a gold medal in the 10,000m."
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