Bahrain medal hunt continues at Tokyo Olympics as Birhanu Balew comes three places shy of bronze
TDT | Manama
The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com
Bahrain’s Birhanu Balew came three places shy of a medal finish yesterday in the Men’s 5,000 metres Final at the Tokyo Olympic Games. Balew ran a strong race and stayed among the leading group for much of the event, but he could not match his rivals’ finishing pace despite a brave effort.
Fellow-Bahraini Dawit Fikadu was also in the field. He was classified 15th overall and was able to set a new season’s best in the process. Joshua Cheptegei of Uganda captured the gold medal with a winning time of 12 minutes 58.15 seconds. His victory gave him his second medal of these Olympics, after earlier claiming the silver in the Men’s 10,000m.
Mohammed Ahmed of Canada was the race’s runner-up in 12:58.61, while Paul Chelimo of the US rounded out the medal winners in 12:59.05.
Nicholas Kipkorir-Kimeli of Kenya was fourth in 12:59.17 and Jacob Kiplimo of Uganda in fifth in 13:02.40, just ahead of Balew who had a time of 13:03.20. With two laps to go, Balew and Fikadu were separated between the two groups of runners, with Balew in the leading group.
He remained in contention in fourth place at the bell, but the rest of the top finishers proved too strong in the end. Fikadu managed to clock his best time in 2021 of 13:20.24 as he secured his final classification at the back of the 16-runner field.
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