| Just as in Rio 2016, it seemed that Ayana over-exerted herself in winning the 10,000m and hadn’t saved enough for the 5000m later in the programme. Her losing time of 14:40.35 was considerably slower than the second half of her epic win at 10,000m eight days earlier. The final started in slow motion with the first kilometre reached in 3:18.61 by photo cell. Ayana then made her trademark surge, covering laps four and five in 2:11.82. Only Obiri stayed in touch, 20m ahead of a group of five with the next tranche of runners a further 25m behind. The defending champion’s second kilometre had taken 2:48.59, and marginally slower kilos of 2:50.64 and 2:51.90 took her and Obiri through 4000m some 60m clear of Teferi, Kipkemboi and Hassan. It was all over 350m from the finish, when Obiri switched gears and went away to win by 40m with a last lap of 60.44. That looked super-fast compared with Ayana’s 66.14, but much quicker was Hassan’s final circuit of 58.21. |
