Olympic medalist Faith Kipyegon recently recounted the dramatic events that followed her disqualification and subsequent reinstatement in the women’s 5000-metre final on the just completed Paris 2024 Olympics.
Kipyegon, otherwise refered to as Kenya’s golden girl, was speaking in an interview on Citizen TV where she narrated what followed after she learnt that she had been disqualified , the rollercoaster of emotions she experienced and a remorseful apology from Ethiopian runner Gudaf Tsegay.
She described the incident as “emotionally draining, disappointing, and traumatic,” especially because her medal was abruptly taken from her in an instant, causing both confusion and deep emotional distress.
“I wouldn’t say it was a disappointment but it was a bit traumatic…to be disqualified after winning silver, I asked myself why that was happening,” Kipyegon shared in a heartfelt interview on Citizen TV’s JKLive Show.
The contentious disqualification happened when Tsegay drifted into Kipyegon’s lane, leading to a collision between the two athletes. Although Kipyegon who had been leading the race made a valiant attempt to reclaim her position, the loss of her well-deserved silver medal devastated her further.
The situation changed dramatically when Team Kenya’s technical officials made a fervent appeal, resulting in Kipyegon’s reinstatement, but was handed a yellow card. Further scrutiny revealed that Tsegay was actually at fault, and Kipyegon’s silver medal was rightfully restored.
Kipyegon stated that the tension between her and Tsegay extended beyond the race, adding that the Ethiopian later approached her, knelt, and apologized, recognizing her mistake.
“After the following day’s 1500m hits, Tsegay came and knelt before me and told me she was very sorry, that it was not my fault but hers, ‘Please forgive me’. I just forgave her knowing that it is sports and we will meet again another time and we need each other to compete,” Kipyegon revealed.
The ordeal shook her but did not break her. She harnessed her renewed determination and agility to deliver a stunning performance in the 1500m race, setting a new Olympic record and becoming the first woman in history to win three consecutive gold medals in the event. Her achievement highlighted her remarkable resilience and unwavering resolve.
She addressed the claims that she was disappointed with her silver medal in the 5000m race, clarifying that her frustration was not with the medal itself but with the disqualification, which she felt was unjust.
“I didn’t think I would be disqualified after finishing my race. Most people are saying that I was disappointed in getting a Silver medal, but I was not. I was disappointed by getting a disqualification for not knowing what I did,” Kipyegon noted.
