Three-time Olympic gold medalist Faith Kipyegon has opened up about her interaction with Ethiopia’s Gudaf Tsegay following the controversial 5000m final, which nearly cost Kipyegon her silver medal.

Tsegay, known for her aggressive tactics on the track, pushed Kipyegon early in the 5000m final. In response, Kipyegon appeared to push back, leading to a tense moment that overshadowed the race, which was ultimately won by Kenya’s Beatrice Chebet, with Kipyegon finishing second.

Kipyegon revealed that Tsegay later begged for forgiveness for her actions, which had sparked outrage among athletics fans worldwide, particularly in Kenya, where many were furious about the incident.

After returning to Kenya from the Paris Olympics, Kipyegon shared that the incident was traumatic and emotionally draining, admitting that it affected her mentally during the race.

Speaking on Citizen TV, the world champion expressed her shock at being disqualified, as she believed she had done nothing wrong. Many assumed her tears after the race were due to disappointment over not winning gold, but Kipyegon clarified that it was the disqualification that upset her most.

“I didn’t think I would be disqualified after finishing my race. Most people think I was disappointed by getting a silver medal, but I wasn’t. I was disappointed by the disqualification because I didn’t know what I had done,” she explained.

Following a successful appeal by the Team Kenya technical officers, Kipyegon’s medal was reinstated. The next morning, Tsegay approached Kipyegon before the 1500m heats to apologize.

“The following day, when we ran the 1500m heats, she came and knelt before me, apologizing. She told me, ‘It was not you, it was me… please forgive me.’ So, I just forgave her. This is sports, and we will meet again tomorrow—we need each other. You can’t compete alone; you need someone to push you. So, I forgave Tsegay, and we became friends. This is sports; we have to be content with each other and keep breaking records while pushing each other to the limit,” Kipyegon added.

The Kenyan athletes have returned home as Africa’s Olympic champions and are currently being honored by President William Ruto at a stately reception at State House, Eldoret.

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