BY AYODELE ODUMADE AT THE LONDON STADIUM

Kenya’s Hellen Obiri has gone from being the nearly woman on the track to World Champion as she took the 5000m gold at the London World Championships, thus denying Ethiopia’s Almaz Ayana the double.  Obiri won the race in 14:34.86.  Based on how the season had gone she was the clear favourite. Both athletes tracked each other but on the final leg Obiri kicked hard and Ayana could not respond.

The champion said: “I was telling myself to go. I could see Ayana was not going so I thought, why not? So I said, go. I am mentally strong so I knew I was capable.

“When I crossed the line I was extremely happy, and just wanted to celebrate. All my emotion came out. I wanted the 5000m gold a lot.”

Ayana’s first race this season was the final of the 10,000m, which she won.  She said: “It was a difficult race. I am better at leading it to get the win rather than challenging in a final sprint. It was difficult to push Hellen (Obiri) through to the finish line

“Compared to Rio this is a bigger achievement. I’ve had many injuries this year so I am very happy with two medals.

“I have been injured for the whole season and haven’t been able to get over it. The pain came back after the 10,000m. I did my best today but Hellen was too good at finishing. It was all I could today.”But I won’t give up going for 5000m and 10,000m. I won gold and bronze in Ro and now gold and silver, so this is a step up.”

Sifan Hassan of the Netherlands was third. She said: “After the 1500m I was so disappointed and sad, and I was so scared to make another mistake like I did in the 1500m. Crossing the line was so fantastic, when that happened to me in the 1500m – every night I was waking up thinking ‘That was a nightmare.’ But it was reality.

On continuing to compete in the 5000m:

“Believe me, this is my event. In time I will keep up with the best, Ayana and Obiri, I just have to work at the event.”