Obiri denies Ayana world double
London : Kenya’s Hellen Obiri claimed consolation for her Olympic silver last year winning the women’s 5,000 metres world title yesterday.
The 27-year-old produced a devastating burst down the back straight to leave defending champion Almaz Ayana trailing and went on to win in a time of 14min 34.86sec.
Ayana, who had won the 10,000m gold in what was her first race of the season, took silver for Ethiopia in 14:40.35 with the Netherlands Sifan Hassan finishing third in 14:42.73.
Ayana had decided to inject some much-needed zip into the pace with nine laps to run and only Obiri was able to match her.
The field was suddenly splintered with Hassan, also from Ethiopia but who came to the Netherlands as a refugee aged 15, leading a group of five contesting the minor medal.
Ayana was unable to burn off Obiri as she had done her rivals in the 10,000m -- which she won by over 46sec -- with the Kenyan content to let her 25-year-old rival do all the pace-setting.
Her strategy paid off perfectly as heading into the final lap she moved up onto Ayana’s shoulder and then delivered her coup de grace.
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