3,000 metres Steeplechase, Women

The form chart looked at three main contenders for the medals – Kenya’s Hyvin Kiyeng, the silver medalist at Rio; her teammate Beatrice Chepkoech, the 2019 World Champion; and American Emma Coburn, the 2017 World Champion and bronze medalist at Rio in 2016. Doesn’t always work out as expected.

Chepkoech and Coburn made the final, but Chepkoech finished seventh, and Coburn struggled, hitting a barrier on the last lap, rolling into the infield, and was disqualified. Kiyeng would fare better, eventually getting the bronze medal.

The final was run on a very warm, muggy evening. The lead was taken by Uganda’s Peruth Chemutai, and with three laps remaining, only she, Kiyeng, and American Courtney Frerichs were still together at the front, as Coburn was 15 metres behind, and Chepkoech 5 metres behind Coburn.

With two laps to go Frerichs took the lead and was soon 10 metres clear of Chemutai, who finally caught Frerichs on the backstretch of the final lap, who could not answer. Chemutai extended her lead and won gold by over three seconds, as Frerichs held off a surging Kiyeng for the silver medal. Chemutai became the first Ugandan woman to win an Olympic medal, much less gold, in any sport.