"How is this a DQ? It’s a crowded field that shove was not on purpose?": Fans left outraged as Faith Kipyegon gets disqualified in 5000m Olympic final

By Abhiruchi Rout

Modified Aug 05, 2024 21:48 GMT

Kenyan middle and long-distance runner Faith Kipyegon was recently disqualified from the women’s 5000m final at the ongoing Paris Olympics. Initially crossing the line in second place behind her compatriot Beatrice Chebet, who claimed gold in 14:28.56, Kipyegon was penalized following an incident involving Ethiopian rival Gudaf Tsegay.

With two laps remaining, Kipyegon was in the lead when it appeared that Tsegay infringed on her running space, leaving Kipyegon with little room to run. As a result, Kipyegon seemingly wrapped her hand around Tsegay's arm to regain balance and stay on the track, averting a potential fall.

Fans were not at all pleased with Faith Kipyegon's disqualification. Many took to social media to question the decision.

“How is this a DQ???? It’s a crowded field that shove was not on purpose????” one fan opined.

Another fan wrote that Kipyegon was simply trying to regain her footing and prevent herself from going off the track.

“Faith tries her best to find her footing and avoid stepping off track, how she's disqualified for that is ludicrous,” they stated.

Another fan, outraged by the decision, wrote:

“Who makes these decisions? This Olympics is effed!”

Here are some additional fan reactions to the disqualification:

“Miss Ethiopia was far too close to begin with and, if anything, SHE should have been disqualified…”, a fan said.

“It's clearly showing she was going to fall down not the other way round,” another fan chimed in.

“I need Tsegay banned from this sport, this is not the first time she's done this,” another fan wrote.

The last reaction may be related to an incident that took place in the 10000m event of the 2023 World Athletics Championships finals, where Sifan Hassan fell after contact with Gudaf Tsegay just meters from the finish line.

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Who achieved podium finishes after Faith Kipyegon’s disqualification in 5000m?

Faith Kipyegon at the Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympic Games (Photo by Tim Clayton/Corbis via Getty Images)

Following Faith Kipyegon’s disqualification, renowned Dutch runner Sifan Hassan bagged the silver medal at 14:30.61. Meanwhile, Nadia Battocletti of Italy collected the bronze medal, marking her first medal and setting a new national record at 14:31.64.

Kipyegon is next set to feature in the women’s 1500m heats on August 6. She is a two-time Olympic champion and the world record holder in the discipline.