Kenya’s middle-distance star Faith Kipyegon has forgiven Ethiopia’s Gudaf Tsegay after she apologized for an unnecessary push that nearly cost Kipyegon the 5000m silver medal in Paris.Tsegay, known for her track antics, pushed Kipyegon early in the 5000m final. The Kenyan appeared to push back, and after the race—won by Beatrice Chebet with Kipyegon coming in second—the 1500m gold medalist was temporarily disqualified, which would have cost her the medal. However, an appeal from Team Kenya successfully restored her medal.##NAJAVA_MECA_8269443##Tsegay’s actions drew sharp criticism from athletics enthusiasts worldwide, particularly from Kenyans, who were incensed by the incident. Kipyegon has now revealed the impact of the incident, admitting that it mentally affected her race.”She came in strong, and I protested, telling her that she was pushing me inside and out of my tracks. Then she started pushing me further inside dramatically. At least I fought back and managed to return to my lane… it took a lot out of me mentally. But I forgave and forgot, allowing myself to move on,” Kipyegon said in an interview with Citizen TV.She added that the disqualification came as a shock because she believed she had done nothing wrong. She was later seen weeping, with many assuming it was due to not winning gold, but Kipyegon clarified that it was the disqualification that upset her the most.”I didn’t think I would be disqualified after finishing my race. Most people think I was disappointed by getting a silver medal, but I wasn’t. I was disappointed by the disqualification because I didn’t know what I had done,” she explained.Beatrice Chebet scales Police ranks following Paris exploitsTeam Kenya is all set and geared up for the grand event today, The Official reception and awards ceremony!!🇰🇪#TeamKenya#HesabikaNaMabingwa pic.twitter.com/mmg0cED8vO— TeamKenya (@OlympicsKe) August 15, 2024 Tsegay chose to apologize to Kipyegon the following morning, just before the 1500m heats, and Kipyegon chose to let bygones be bygones.”The following day, when we ran the 1500m heats, she came and knelt before me, apologizing. She told me, ‘It was not you, it was me… please forgive me.’ So, I just forgave her. This is sports, and we will meet again tomorrow—we need each other. You can’t compete alone; you need someone to push you. So, I forgave Tsegay, and we became friends. This is sports; we have to be content with each other and keep breaking records while pushing each other to the limit,” she added.This morning, Team Kenya will be hosted by President William Ruto in Eldoret for their homecoming and appreciation party at the State Lodge.Mozzart Sport writers’ highlight of Paris 2024 OlympicsWe’re thrilled to join President @WilliamsRuto for a state breakfast as we return the Kenyan flag he gave us, carrying the hopes and dreams of our nation. We’re Proud to come home as Africa’s top nation and 17th in the world!See you on the other side! ✈️#TeamKenya… pic.twitter.com/bw6IXX4Djc— TeamKenya (@OlympicsKe) August 15, 2024
