EUGENE (Reuters) - World
record holder Ethiopia’s Letesenbet Gidey won the women’s 10,000 meters final at the World Athletics Championships in Eugene, the United States.
Gidey, who won the bronze in last year’s Tokyo Olympic Games, clocked this season’s world leading time of 30 minutes 09.94 seconds to add the title to her silver collected three years ago at the Doha worlds.
Kenya’s Hellen Obiri took the silver in 30:10.02, and her compatriot Margaret Chelimo Kipkemboi claimed bronze in 30:10.07.
The 24-year-old Gidey, who holds the world record of both 5,000m and 10,000m, said it was a dream come true.
“This was the biggest aim I had,” she said. “This victory is even more important to me than a world record, I am so happy about this performance. I was thinking about winning this gold since 2019.”
Her winning time was far slower than her world record of 29:01.03 set in Hengelo, Netherlands, last year.
The jubilant Gidey is confident of completing a gold double at Eugene.
“I have the next dream now - to win the gold at 5,000m,” she said. “I can get the double, I am very confident now.”