eugene– The City of Eugene in the United States seems to be a lucky charm for Ethiopia’s Gudaf Tsegay after once again bagging a medal, this time a maiden gold.
Tsegay, 25, produced a jaw-dropping sprint down the home straight to clinch her first World Championships gold (14:46.29) after crossing the line first in the women’s 5000m final on the penultimate day of the 2022 global athletics event in Oregon.
Having already scooped silver in the 1500m at the same Championships, Tsegay said coming close to winning a world title is what inspired her to give her all in Saturday’s 5000m final.
“I am happy to win my maiden World Championships gold medal. I have been working hard to earn a global title but came short. After getting silver in the 1500m, that inspired me to go work extra hard and win gold, I am glad my prayers have been answered,” Tsegay said.
She added, “It was a great team work from Ethiopia, the plan was to sweep the podium, but it did not materialize, good thing is that we got two medals.”
“Out tactic was to run a higher pace with six laps to go, but it couldn’t work because Chebet from Kenya was on our neck, so that meant we had to work extra hard, and coming from injury, I tap myself at the back for a job well done,” she explained.
And who does she dedicate her maiden World title to?
“I dedicate this gold to my lovely mum, my brave coach and husband as well as the people of Ethiopia.”
Tsegay has good memories from Eugene, dating back to 2014 when she grabbed silver in the 1500m at the World Under-20 Championships hosted at the same Hayward field in Oregon.
Nine years later, Tsegay returned to the same venue, now competing as a senior where she launched her campaign with silver in the 1500m, behind winner two-time Olympic Champion Faith Kipyegon of Kenya.
“Eugene is a good place because the weather is nice. It brought back the memories of when I was competing as a junior, where I started my global career with a medal, that really inspired me to work extra hard, I am happy it paid off,” the Word Indoor 1500m champion said.
Up next, she will be going back to train ahead of next year’s World Championships slated for Budapest Hungary.
Chebet’s silver lining
Meanwhile, Kenya’s Beatrice Chebet braved the deep field that also had World Record holder and world 10,000m champion Letesenbet Gidey of Ethiopia as well as Commonwealth Games champion Margaret Chelimo.
Chebet, 22, settled for silver in a season’s best of 14:46.75 and was all smiles for winning a first medal on her World Championships debut.
“I was not expecting to win silver because I was competing amongst the best and who have been here before, but I belived in myself and knew that the medal is not for anyone, I knew Ethiopians are strong but I was not fearing anyone,” the African champion said.
“My biggest happiness is winning silver in a World Championships because it is not easy. The Ethiopians were helping each other and I never gave up because I am good in finishing kick, I was ready for everything.”
“I thank Kenyan fans for the support, I promised them to win gold next year in Budapest and in 2024 Olympics God willing,” the 2018 World-Under 20 champion underpinned.
Chebet, who will now shift focus to the Birmingham Commonwealth Games, thanked the outgoing World Champion Hellen Obiri for mentoring her.
“Obiri has inspired me, she has been a mentor to me, she has been advising me, we have raced together in Diamond League races and I am thankful I have not let her down.”