1500m world and Olympic record holder Fath Kipyegon has opened up on her altercation with Ethiopia’s Gudaf Tsegay, during the 5,000m race in the Paris Olympics.
The shoving saw Kipeyegon disqualified and nearly losing her silver medal but it was later reinstated.
In an interview with Citizen TV, Kipyegon said that Tsegay was at fault as she was pushing her off the track, when she wanted to lead the race.
“It is a long story, when racing your mind is away you need to concentrate but I really thank my team, Beatrice Chebet and Margaret Chelimo, for the team work we had. Unfortunately, when I wanted to lead the race, the Ethiopian began moving towards me, I told her she was pushing me off the track, telling her that made her push me even more. It was really dramatic.” the mother of one said, admitting that she would have landed into serious trouble had she been pushed off the track.
“At least I was given a disqualification because of shoving her to go back into the track so that I can also be in the track. It would have been another story if I had gotten off the track. At least I had the energy to defend myself”
Kipyegon added that she doesn’t hold any grudges against Tsegay, who later came to apologize.
“Till today, it really took a lot in my mind but I said let me just forgive and forget and move on to 1500 and focus. The following day when we ran for the 1500m heats, she came and knelt before me and said she was very sorry. She said it was not you it was me please forgive me, so I just forgave. This is is sports, we will meet tomorrow, we need each other, I Can’t compete alone. I forgave her and we became friends,” she said.
Kipyegon says she felt for the Tsegay for coming last and even not being able to take home any medal.
“She ran 5000, 10,000, 1500m. It is only that we started with drama and our minds were a bit disturbed. She was stressed and I was also stressed. At last I felt for her for not getting any medal but this is sports,” she said.
She also denied being disappointed for winning silver, saying that she was disappointed after the disqualification.
“I did expect I would be disqualified. I celebrated after finishing the race. Many people say that I was disappointed for getting a silver. I wasn’t disappointed. I was disappointed for getting a DQ without knowing what I did. The 500om took a lot in my mind,” Kipyegon told Jeff Koinange.
She further expressed gratitude for officials who appealed against her disqualification.
