Summary
– Kenya announces Paris 2024 10,000m Olympic team.
– Beatrice Chebet and Daniel Mateiko lead the lineup.
– Chebet and Mateiko won at Prefontaine Classic trials.
– Kasait secures spot with second-place finish.
Kenya has announced its 10,000m team for the Paris 2024 Olympics, featuring a strong lineup in both the men’s and women’s categories.
Beatrice Chebet and Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon champion Daniel Mateiko headline Kenya’s 10,000m team for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
Chebet and Mateiko secured their spots on the team by winning the 25-lap race at the Prefontaine Classic, the Diamond League Meeting in Eugene, which served as the trials for Team Kenya’s 10,000m.
Kasait also made the cut to the Olympic team with her automatic second-place finish as a Kenyan, while Margaret Chelimo, the world cross country bronze medallist, was selected as the third athlete.
Meanwhile, it was evident that Mateiko would be on the men’s team, and he would be joined by Nicholas Kimeli. However, there was uncertainty about the third athlete, considering Daniel Simiu was seen as a favorite to win Kenya a medal.
At the Prefontaine Classic, Simiu stumbled and could not make it to the podium. Bernard Kibet, the athlete who finished third at the event, has been selected to round out the top three athletes.
The Women’s’ 10,000 Meters Squad For The Paris Olympics
– Beatrice Chebet (World Record Holder)
– Lillian Kasait
– Margaret Chelimo
The Men’s 10,000 Meters Squad For The Paris Olympics
-Daniel Mateiko (World Leader)
-Nicholas Kipkorir
– Bernard Kibet
Beatrice Chebet Profile
Beatrice Chebet (born 5 March 2000) is a Kenyan long-distance runner. In 2022, she won the silver medal in the 5000 metres at the World Championships, and became Commonwealth, African and Diamond League champion. Chebet claimed the gold medal for the women’s senior race at the 2023 and 2024 World Cross Country Championships.
She is also the current world record holder in the 10,000 metres, with a time of 28:54.14, set at the 2024 Prefontaine Classic on 25 May.
\In setting this record, Chebet became the first woman in history to break 29:00.00 in the 10,000 metres. She is nicknamed the “smiling assassin”.
She took the world under-20 title in the 5000 m in 2018 and at the 2019 World Cross Country Championships.
Career
Beatrice Chebet was born on 5 March 2000, the daughter of Francis and Lilian Kirui.
While at primary school, she raced in 5000 m events, and went on to attend Saramek Secondary School, Londiani, graduating from there in 2013.
She joined the Lemotit Athletics Club in November 2016.
In June 2018, at the age of 18, Chebet won the Kenyan Under-20s 5000 metres. A month later at Tampere 2018, she became the first Kenyan woman and the first non-Ethiopian since 2006 to win the 5000 m title at the World U20 Championships in Athletics.
At the 2019 World Cross Country Championships, the top three athletes in the women’s U20 race – Chebet and the Ethiopian duo of Alemitu Tariku and Tsigie Gebreselama – were all awarded the time of 20:50 as they finished together. Tariku was initially announced as the winner, with Gebreselama awarded silver. However, after the photo finish footage was reviewed Chebet received the gold medal. Also 2019, she won the Kenyan U20 National Cross Country Championships.
Her best success of 2022 came in July at the World Championships in Eugene, Oregon, where she claimed the silver medal for the closely-run 5000 m race with a time of 14:46.75 behind Gudaf Tsegay in 14:46.29 and ahead of Dawit Seyaum (14:47.36).
Chebet trains in Londiani, Kericho County.
Circuit wins and titles, National titles
- Diamond League champion 5000 m:
2022
- 2021: Doha Diamond League (3000 m WL PB)
- 2022: Zürich Weltklasse (5 km PB)
- World Athletics Cross Country Tour
- 2022–23 (2): Atapuerca Cross Internacional, San Vittore Olona Cinque Mulini
- Kenyan Athletics Championships
- 5000 metres: 2022
Personal bests
| Type | Event | Time (m:s) | Venue | Date |
| Track | 3000 metres | 8:25.01 | Oslo, Norway | 15 June 2023 |
| 3000 metres indoor | 8:37.06 | Madrid, Spain | 24 February 2021 | |
| 5000 metres | 14:05.92 | Eugene, OR, United States | 17 September 2023 | |
| 10,000 metres | 28:54.14 WR | Eugene, OR, United States | 25 May 2024 | |
| Road | 5 km | 14:32 | Zürich, Switzerland | 7 September 2022 |
| 10 km | 32:52 | Eldoret, Kenya | 24 November 2019 |
