Olympics: Peruth Chemutai Advances To 3000m Steeplechase Final

Uganda’s Peruth Chemutai has booked a place in the final of the Women’s 3000m Steeplechase at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

Chemutai finished second in heat one to set her seasonal best time of 9:12.72.

The top three in each heat and the next six fastest qualified to the final which will be held on Wednesday, August 4.

Peruth Chemutai in action. (Reuters photo)

Chemutai, who holds the National record at the distance, endured the hot temperatures and took an early lead in a brilliant field.

She looked comfortable in clearing the barriers and water jumps but later put the foot off the pedal, paving way for Bahrain’s Winfred Yavi at the final lap who took the first place in a time of 9:10.8.

US Champions Emma Coburn came third (9:16.91) to seal the other automatica qualification slot as the top three trio dominated from the gun.

Peruth Chemutai (yellow) will be going for a medal come Wednesday. Reuters photo

Genevieve Lalonde set Canada’s National record (9:22.64) to finish a distant fourth while Kenya’s 2014 Commonwealth Champion Purity Kirui struggled through before settling for a fifth place in a 14-women heat.

Chemutai will be hoping for a podium finish come Wednesday’s final but she will be up against history as no Ugandan woman has ever won an Olympics medal.

At the 2019 World Championships in Doha, Chemutai finished fifth and will be hoping to make amends in Tokyo.


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