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Peruth Chemutai could not hold back her tears moments after Bahrain’s Winfred Yavi denied her a chance reclaim gold in the women’s 3,000m steeplechase at the Paris2024 Olympics but managed a silver and Kenya’s Faith Cherotic took bronze.
Chemutai had started off well having led for the larger part of the race but with about only less than 200m to go, the Kenyan born-Bahrainian who was coming of a great season took the lead and showed no signs of slowing down, with just enough spead to break the Olympic record.
Chemutai was inconsolable after the race even with a much needed hug from her coach Addy Ruiter to calm her down, the disappointment is understandable but she has already earned her country’s respect.
Chemutai in the race.
Her gold in the same race at the previous edition in Tokyo, Japan was the first ever Olympic medal by a female Ugandan athlete and she had two to her name now.
She’s not had it her way in eversince Tokyo2020, injuries forced her out of the World Athletics Championships final and that fall at the 2021 commonwealth games where she quickly got back on her knees to claim bronze.
Chemutai’s silver now takes Uganda’s medal tally at the Paris2024 Olympics to 2 following Joshua Cheltegei’sgold in the 10,000m and a total of 13 medals for the pearl of Africa in its Olympic history.
Two of the 13 have been won by Chemutai and perharps her cup can be seen as half empty.
