Ten years after winning the world U20 cross-country title, Ethiopia’s Hagos Gebrhiwet earned his long-awaited first senior global title by winning the men’s 5km at the World Athletics Road Running Championships Riga 23.
The 29-year-old crossed the line in 12:59 to lead an Ethiopian 1-2 finish from Yomif Kejelcha (13:02). Kenya’s Nicholas Kipkorir earned his first global medal, taking bronze in 13:16.
The Ethiopian duo stayed close together through the fourth kilometre, covered in 2:32, but roughly a minute later Gebrhiwet darted into the lead. Kejelcha tried to go with him, but once the finish line was in sight, there was no catching Gebrhiwet, who unleashed a superb finishing kick to charge through the finish in 12:59.
Kejelcha followed three seconds later, with Kipkorir crossing the line in 13:16. Eritrea’s little-known Dawit Seare passed a fading Kemboi in the closing stages to finish fourth in a national record of 13:21, three seconds ahead of the Kenyan.
Gebrhiwet’s victory capped a superb season for the 29-year-old. A decade ago, while still an U20 athlete, he took 5000m silver at the World Championships in Moscow, which he followed with 5000m bronze at the 2015 World Championships and 2016 World Championships.