Bahrain’s Winfred Yavi claimed the women’s Olympic 3,000 meters steeplechase gold medal on Tuesday, overtaking Uganda’s Peruth Chemutai, who took silver.
Yavi celebrated joyfully after crossing the finish line, having executed a powerful final sprint that Chemutai, the race leader for most of the event, couldn’t match.
Chemutai was stunned as Yavi, 24, not only secured the Olympic title but also set a new Olympic record with a time of 8 minutes 52.76 seconds, adding to her world championship victory from last year.
“This is like a dream come true. It’s something special,” Yavi told reporters. “It means a lot to me and also to the country.”
Winfred Yavi switched her nationality from Kenya to Bahrain in 2016.
She explained that despite her long efforts to represent Kenya, the “stiff” competition prevented her from getting the chance.
She also defeated two Kenyan athletes in the race.
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