First heat of the women's 5000m at the IAAF World Championships London 2017 (© Getty Images)
It may not have been billed as one of the highlights of the seventh day of the IAAF World Championships London 2017, but the women’s 5000m heats ended up being far more entertaining than many had expected.
The first heat featured, among others, defending champion Almaz Ayana, world leader Hellen Obiri, world silver medallist Senbere Teferi, double European champion Yasemin Can, double European indoor champion Laura Muir, African champion Sheila Chepkirui and North American record-holder Shannon Rowbury.
Just five automatic qualifying spots were available in each of the two heats, plus five non-automatic qualifiers.
New Zealand’s Camille Buscomb was the early leader. Followed by Japan’s Ayuko Suzuki, they passed through the first 1000m in 3:04.79, a few strides ahead of the rest of the pack. Suzuki then led as they passed through 2000 metres in 6:08.00 with Obiri tucked closely behind.
With 3000m passed in 9:13.47, Teferi was the next to take up the running as fellow Ethiopian Ayana, winner of the 10,000m earlier in the championships, followed. But with a few laps to go, Obiri pushed the pace and the pack split into two groups.
Ayana, Teferi and Can all featured at the front of pack as they approached the bell for the final lap. Obiri and Ayana started kicking for home with Susan Krumins of the Netherlands right behind. Can, who contested the 10,000m last Saturday, and Muir, who had three rounds of the 1500m in her legs, were both starting to struggle.
Obiri went on to win in 14:56.70 with Ayana and Teferi close behind in 14:57.06 and 1:57.23 respectively. Krumins and Rowbury were the other automatic qualifiers, both finishing inside 14:58. Chepkirui, sixth in 14:57.58, and Muir, seventh in 14:59.34, would have to wait until the end of the second heat to see if their times were good enough to advance.
World 1500m record-holder Genzebe Dibaba was a non-starter in the second heat, the Ethiopian having experienced lethargy and tiredness due to back pain.
Despite Dibaba’s absence, USA’s Molly Huddle didn’t want to take any chances. She opened up a gap of about 40 metres between the first and second kilometres, passing 2000 metres in 6:05.37, while British duo Eilish McColgan and Stephanie Twell led the chase pack.
Huddle’s pace dropped slightly during the third kilometre, but her lead continued to grow and at one point was up to about 50 metres. Kenya’s Margaret Chelimo started to push the pace in the chase pack with Norway’s Karoline Bjerkeli Grovdal, Sifan Hassan, Ethiopia’s Letesenbet Gidey and McColgan going with her.
Huddle still held the lead as she reached the bell in 13:54.08, but the chase pack had closed the deficit to about 15 metres and were closing fast. With Hassan leading the charge, the pursuers caught Huddle as they approached the home straight and within seconds, six women flew past her.
Gidey went on to take the heat win in 14:59.34 with Hassan close behind in 14:59.85. Knowing the times in the first heat were marginally faster, the rest of the pack didn’t ease off as a cluster of women charged for the line.
USA’s Shelby Houlian, McColgan and Chelimo took the other automatic qualifying spots, finishing a fraction outside 15 minutes. Grovdal was a close sixth to Chelimo but her 15:00.44 was ultimately enough to advance, as was Huddle’s 15:03.60 further back in seventh.
With the results of the second heat in, Chepkirui and Muir found that their times were indeed good enough to make it to the final.
Jon Mulkeen for the IAAF
