2023 World Athletics Championships – Women's 10,000 Metres

The women's 10,000 metres at the 2023 World Athletics Championships was held at the National Athletics Centre Budapest on 19 August 2023

Summary

On social media, Sifan Hassan posted the answer to the obvious question; Why is she attempting the triple?

Day one was the first step. At 1:15 p.m., Hassan's first heat of the 1500 was scheduled. That race was postponed an hour, shortening her rest time before this race, scheduled at 8:55 p.m. Meanwhile her competitors were rested and focused on this one race, anticipating Hassan's kick as a factor they needed to beat. Defending champion Letesenbet Gidey succeeded last year, winning by hundredths of a second as all the medalists held off Hassan.

The race started off slowly, Natosha Rogers relegated to the lead for three laps before handing the duty off to Camilla Richardsson who held it for the next eleven laps. Hassan took an even slower approach, dropping to dead last.

With eleven laps to go, Agnes Jebet Ngetich led the Kenyan team to the front, with the Ethiopian contingent marking the move, then Gudaf Tsegay took them forward. As the pace quickened, slower athletes fell off the pace, but Hassan was always at the back of the group still in contact with the lead. Gidey took her turn in the lead, then Ejgayehu Taye took them to three laps to go. Grace Nawowuna burned the next lap breaking the lead group down to ten. The Ethiopians asserted themselves into Tsegay and Gidey leading most of the penultimate lap. They continued to accelerate through the bell, with Hassan running around the field from tenth to first during the penultimate turn. Down the backstretch and through the final turn only the Ethiopians were able to chase. Hassan looked back to see she had the edge on Gidey but Tsegay would not go away. Hassan had a one metre lead at the start of the home stretch, but Tsegay kept edging closer. Hassan drifted out into lane 2, making Tsegay's path longer, suddenly, 20 metres from home, Hassan's legs went out from under her and she fell to the track. Tsegay continued on to victory. 7 metres back, Gidey held off Taye to complete the medals and a sweep for Ethiopia. Hassan got up and walked on to the finish. Gidey walked back to give her a high five and a hug as she crossed the finish in eleventh place.

Records

Before the competition records were as follows:

Qualification standard

The standard to qualify automatically for entry was 30:40.00.

Schedule

The event schedule, in local time (CEST), was as follows:

Results

The final was started on 19 August at 20:59.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:2023 World Championships in Athletics - Women's 10,000 metres
10,000
10,000 metres at the World Athletics Championships
2023 in women's athletics