TOKYO: Ethiopia’s Selemon Barega outsprinted Ugandan pre-race favourite Joshua Cheptegei to claim the men’s Olympic 10,000m gold today.
Commonwealth champion Cheptegei, who finished sixth in the event in Rio before winning world silver in 2017 and gold in 2019, had set world records over the 5,000 and 10,000m on road and track in 2020.
But there was to be no gold in Tokyo as Barega, 21, timed his last-lap sprint to perfection to win the first athletics gold of the Games in 27:43.22s.
Cheptegei claimed silver in 27:43.63s with teammate Jacob Kiplimo taking bronze in 27:43.88s.