BOXSCORE: TOKYO (August 2, 2021) Dutch superstar Sifan Hassan got the better of her arch-rival Hellen Obiri winning her first Olympic medal in the 5000m race at the Tokyo Olympics, Monday.
The race was perfectly poised between the two top female long-distance athletes currently in the world with the big question – who will it be – Hassan or Obiri?
It is now clear: Hassan Gold and Obiri Silver.
During the race, Hassan took advantage of the slower pace preserving energy for her trademark homestretch sprint. As for Obiri, she stayed ahead of Hassan from the start as the Dutch athlete ran from behind before busting up after the bell to sprint past the Kenyan claiming her first Olympic gold medal.
The 31-year- old Kenyan settling again for silver, just as in Rio 2016, where she brought home silver in the 5000M and 1000M races.
This is the first medal for the highly decorated Ethiopian-born Dutch athlete Siffan Hassan who has been on the top of her game in the past few years winning numerous contests culminating today with the biggest win of them all, an Olympic gold medal.
Her success will surely not end here as she is still in contention for medals in the 1500M and the 10000M where she will again do battle against Obiri.
Today’s victory gives Hassan a chance of making history as the first woman to win the treble in a single Olympic game if she is successful in the 1500m and 10000m. By the looks of things, Hassan will surely be the woman to beat in both races as her finishing sprint today indicates it will be difficult for the others to keep up with her late pace.
For Obiri, the 10,000m final may be her best chance to pull a gold as a high tempo may weaken Hassan’s final lap kick.
The world now waits as Hassan and Obiri will take their rivalry to the 10,000M coming up this Sunday.
