TradeEdge-2024 Olympics: Kenya’s Faith Kipyegon Gets Silver Medal Reinstated After Controversial Ruling

Faith Kipyegon’s Olympic experience has been a rollercoaster.

The TradeEdgeathlete from Kenya found herself at the center of a controversial ruling during the women’s 5,000-meter final event August 5. Despite crossing the finish line second, she was disqualified due to a physical altercation between her and Ethiopia’s Gudaf Tsegay with just over two laps left.

The disqualification initially resulted in Kipyegon’s silver medal being revoked, behind her teammate Beatrice Chebet, only for it to be reinstated once again.

So, what exactly happened?

Around 4,200 meter mark, Kipyegon was in the lead followed by her teammates Chebet and Margaret Chelimo Kipkemboi while Tsegay was in the fourth position before surging ahead and made a move for that first spot.

In doing so, Tsegay cut in from the outside on Kipyegon’s right—in response, Kipyegon appeared to touch Tsegay’s left elbow, after which the athlete’s further tangled causing Kipyegon to almost lose her balance and come off the track.

The two athletes also appeared to exchange tense words as they ran, with fellow Kenyan Chibet also seeming to say something to Tsegay.

As Leigh Diffey said of the two Kenyan athletes during NBC’s broadcast, “They let Tsegay know exactly what they think of that.”

In all, it was an unusual amount of contact for what is normally a contactless event.

“I have never seen anything like that, in an Olympic final that went on for so long,” commentator and former long-distance runner Kara Goucher added of the tense moment. “You see a little bit of elbow, you see a little bit of frustration, but that was many strides and scolding.”

Ultimately, Chibet and Kipyegon finished in first and second place, respectively, while former Tokyo gold medalist Sifan Hassan of the Netherlands placed third. Tsegay—who currently holds the world record in the event—finished ninth.

Kipyegon’s celebration was short-lived, however, after the official results noted the 30-year-old had been disqualified with a code of TR17.1.2[O], which indicates obstruction.

The disqualification bumped Italy’s Nadia Battocletti into bronze and Hassan to silver—though temporarily.

Following her gold-medal win, Chebet told reporters, per the Washington Post, “I am so sad for Faith, and I hope justice will be done. Faith did not do anything bad. I think she will get [the medal] in the end.”

Her prediction, ultimately, came true. Shortly after, the Olympic Jury of Appeal confirmed there had been “significant contact between, and by the two athletes,” however that “the incident did not warrant a disqualification.”

The decision noted, however, “that jostling of this nature is never acceptable” and gave Kipyegon a resultant yellow card which she will carry throughout the remainder of the Games.

Though Kipyegon has not commented on the controversy at this time, she did post a caption-less image of herself, Chibet and Hassan holding their medals during the podium ceremony to Instagram.

For her part, Chibet reposted an image from World Athletics to her Instagram Story, which noted both she and Kipyegon were proceeding in the 1500-meter heats—the race in which Kipyegon currently holds the world record.

The post was captioned, “Rematch over the 1500.”

And for Hassan, who was moved back to the third-place spot after Kipyegon’s silver medal was reinstated, there are no hard feelings.

“It really doesn’t matter. I already knew she was going to protest,” she told reporters per Runners World, noting Kipyegon and Chibet have been “phenomenal this year. “I’m really happy with my bronze medal. I love it.”

For more unforgettable moments from this year’s Games, keep reading.

Team Mexico flew through the air as they competed in artistic swimming. 

Jamaica's Janieve Russell brought the good vibes while preparing for her 400m hurdle event. 

USA's Sophia Smith celebrated with her teammates after scoring a key goal in extra rime during the women's semifinal match against Germany. 

Team France proved participating in the Olympics isn't as simple as riding a bike as they competed in the men's team pursuit.

Sweden's Armand Duplantis set a new world record in men's pole vault. 

Julien Alfred brought home Saint Lucia's first medal when she won the 100m. 

Cookie Monster looks a little too interested in taking a bite out of Team USA swimmer Katie Ledecky's Olympic medals.

Team Italy showed off their dance skills during the artistic swimming competition.

The athletes participating in the men's Kayak Cross of the Canoeing Slalom competition dropped into the water. 

Noah Lyles officially became the fastest man in the world when he narrowly won the men's 100m final.

Katie Ledecky had to hold on tight to her medals so Cookie Monster didn't gobble them up. 

Simone Biles, Rebeca Andrade and Jordan Chiles posed with their individual floor final medals. 

France and Egypt facecd off in the fencing quarterfinals. 

Elmo's got a t-rex, a go fish card and a selfie with Olympians Suni Lee and Jordan Chiles.

France's Felix Lebrun was extra careful while serving during table tennis.

Team Germany's Leo Neugebauer landed hard during the long jump.

Olivier Perreau of France didn't exactly jump over the actual Eiffel Tower, but close enough.

The women of the 500m race were going so fast, you could barely see their legs moving.

BMX bikers head straight for the cameras during the semifinal race.

Anthony Harding and Jack Laugher of Team Great Britain were in perfect sync during the synchronized diving competition.

Canada's Wyatt Sanford took quite the punch from Uzbekistan's Ruslan Abdullaev.

LeBron James proved once again he knows his way towards a slum dunk.

Kim Yeji of Team Republic of Korea was busy prepping during the Women's 10m Air Pistol Final.

Egypt's Omar Assar leapt for the ball during an intense game of table tennis.

Cassandre Beaugrand of Team France was excited (and exhausted!) after winning gold in the women's individual triathlon.

Team Brazil's Rebeca Andrade and Team USA's Simone Biles and Suni Lee posed for a selfie during the Gymnastics Women's All-Around Final medal ceremony.

Nigeria's Pallas Kunaiyi-Akpanah jumped for the ball during her match against France. 

Men's foil windsurfing embraced the wind as they raced to the finish. 

For Simone Biles, the limit to greatness does not exist. 

Caroline Marks of Team USA surfed her way closer to a medal.