'She knelt before me' - Faith Kipyegon lifts lid on Paris 2024 clash with Gudaf Tsegay

Faith Kipyegon of Kenya displays her medals.

'She knelt before me' - Faith Kipyegon lifts lid on Paris 2024 clash with Gudaf Tsegay

Izuchukwu Akawor • Izuchukwu Akawor • 07:21 - 26.09.2024

Faith Kipyegon has opened up on her dramatic clash with Gudaf Tsegay of Ethiopia at the Paris 2024 Olympics.

The Paris 2024 Olympics have ended, but Kenya’s athletics superstar Faith Kipyegon has lifted the lid on the controversies between her and Ethiopia's Tsegay Gudaf.

Kipyegon has revealed that she has forgiven her colleague after she apologised for an altercation that led to the Kenyan’s initial disqualification during their 5000m race. 

As reported by Pulse Sports Nigeria, Kipyegon left in tears after she thought she had picked up a silver medal before sealing a gold medal from the 1500m in Paris 2024.

However, she was stripped of the medal due to an altercation with Ethiopia’s Gudaf during the race that was won by her countrywoman Beatrice Chebet.

Faith Kipyegon |COURTESY

Kipyegon has now come out to share that Gudaf had asked for forgiveness after the incident and she did not waste time to give in.

“She came after the 1500m heats, knelt before me and asked me to forgive her,” she stated according to Nation Africa.

Ethiopian star Gudaf Tsegay is the 5000m world record holder. World Athletics

“I forgave her because this is sports and I need her in the competition. We need each other to push ourselves to the limits and break records.”

Narrating what happened, the talented athlete noted that she tried hard to avoid getting inside the line as it would have led to her automatic disqualification.

What happened between Tsegay and Kipyegon in Paris 2024.

Speaking further, she revealed that they are now friends but she is unhappy that the Ethiopian left Paris 2024 without a single medal. 

Chebet won the race in 14:28.56 to bring home Kenya's first gold medal at the Paris Olympics, strongly finishing ahead of Kipyegon who clocked a Season's Best (SB) of 14:29.60, as Netherland's Sifan Hassan also ran a SB of 14:30.61 for the bronze medal.

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