Silver lining for Cheruiyot in Ayanas world record show

Kenya bagged her first medal at the Rio 2016 Olympics when Vivian Cheruiyot clinched the silver medal but the women 10000m will go down in history for the majestic world record performance from Ethiopia’s Almaz Ayana.

To her credit, Cheruiyot ran the third fastest time in history but it was only good enough for the second medal behind Ayana who simply put together one of the most astonishing races by a female runner on the track when she stopped the clock at 29:17.45.

The four-time world champion, 32, will not be disgraced by her 29:32.53 display for silver that is only behind China’s deposed record holder, Wang Junxia (29:31.78) as dethroned champion, Ethiopia’s Tirunesh Dibaba who timed 29:42.56 took bronze in her life time best.

Beating the decorated duo of Dibaba and Cheruiyot who have dominated distance track running for the better part of a decade after forcing them to run the fastest they have ever run in 10000m added a sense of disbelief to the occasion.

Dibaba, who is returning from maternity leave, used her famed finishing burst that has won her two Olympics gold medals at the event to edge out African champion, Alice Aprot (29:53.51) for the third medal.

The Kenyan also went out faster than she has ever done before in the quite simply, extraordinary final that set the tone for track and field at the 31st edition of the Summer Games.

Somewhere in the rubble of Ayana’s demolition job that was launched after the 14th lap, the third Kenyan, Betsy Saina, ran her lifetime best for fifth 30:07.78.

Words are not adequate to describe what transpired on the blue tartan of the Joao Havalange Olympics Stadium in the first distance final of the Rio 2016 track and field programme.

Aprot charged to the early lead, taking the finalists through the opening 1000m in 3:01.53 and was at the lead at half way where she towed the field in a brisk 14:46.81; setting the stage for what the planet was about to witness.

With 11 laps to go, Ayana who won the women 5000m title in Beijing in similar fashion, simply deployed the blasters and charged ahead in a deadly burst of speed that soon had the field staggered into a procession with Cheruiyot reacting immediately in hot pursuit.

The Ethiopian simply took off and went about flying around the track and soon, it was evident the world record that has stood since 1993 was under severe threat when she established a 29:26 pace.

She was 17:36.74 at 6000m with Cheruiyot trying her hardest to keep up with the front runner in an effort that drained everything she had in her lithe body as she saw her last chance of Olympics glory receding in the face of the furious running.

A kilometre later, the clock read 20:29.98 as Ayana continued lapping the rear end of the competition and steadily opening the gap on the chasing Kenyan. The stadium started rocking in anticipation that something special was unfolding right before their eyes.

At that point, Cheruiyot was the only one within striking distance of the leader, five seconds adrift, but as she rocked her arms side to side, Ayana was opening up her strides with a circular motion that made her look like she had wheels on her legs.

Soon, the atmosphere inside Rio’s Olympic stadium was tense as all eyes were fixed on Ayana and her battle against the clock.

She was serving the world a reminder of how close she came to the women 5000m world record at the Rome IAAF Diamond League as she stepped up the speed to 29:15 pace, crossing 8000m at 23:25.37.

Behind her and Cheruiyot who had all but secured the silver, a fierce battle for bronze between Dibaba and Aprot, who has just overtaken the reigning champion with just over a kilometre to go, was unfolding.

At 9000m, Ayana has built up a 100m lead over Cheruiyot with her split reading the scarcely believable 26:22.88 and then came the bell and the final chase for the world record, the gold medal long confirmed, was on.

By the time she was done, Ayana incredibly tagged all top-13 finishers, yes all top-13 across the line, to their personal best performances.

The Americas were rewarded with a new area record by sixth placed Molly Hurdle of the US (30:13.17).

Four national records, Kenya, USA, Sweden (Sarah Lahti/31:28.43/12th) and Burundi (Diane Nukuri/31:28.69/13th) also tumbled.

There was something for almost each of the 35 finishers in a race for all ages but the prize they all wanted went to the Ethiopian who set about to alter history and achieved it.

RESULTS

1          641     Almaz AYANA ETH 29:17.45          WR

2          946     Vivian Jepkemoi CHERUIYOT KEN 29:32.53       NR

3          645     Tirunesh DIBABA ETH 29:42.56     PB

4          953     Alice Aprot NAWOWUNA KEN 29:53.51    PB

5          956     Betsy SAINA KEN 30:07.78 PB

6          1349   Molly HUDDLE USA 30:13.17         AR

7          1257   Yasemin CAN TUR 30:13.70          PB

8          642     Gelete BURKA ETH 30:26.66         PB

9          1068   Karoline Bjerkeli GRØVDAL NOR 31:14.07           PB

10        344     Eloise WELLINGS AUS 31:14.94   PB