Chemutai becomes first Ugandan woman to win gold in Olympic sport

Uganda's Peruth Chemutai reacts after winning the women's 3000m steeplechase final during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at the Olympic Stadium in Tokyo on August 4, 2021. AFP PHOTO

What you need to know:

  • Uganda's Peruth Chemutai wins women's Olympic 3000m steeplechase gold

Uganda's Peruth Chemutai outstripped the field to win the women's Olympic 3000m steeplechase gold on Wednesday.

The 22-year-old Ugandan timed 9min 01.45sec at the Olympic Stadium, outsprinting American Courtney Frerichs with 250 metres to go to win comfortably.

Frerichs claimed silver in 9:04.79 with Kenyan Hyvin Kiyeng taking bronze (9:05.39).

"After my fifth place at the world championships in Doha, I knew a medal would be possible if I run a good race," said Chemutai.

Gold medalist Uganda's Peruth Chemutai (C) poses with bronze medalist Kenya's Hyvin Kiyeng (L) and silver medalist USA's Courtney Frerichs (R) after the women's 3000m steeplechase final during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at the Olympic Stadium in Tokyo on August 4, 2021. AFP PHOTO

Chemutai's victory came just minutes after her Ugandan counterpart Winnie Nanyondo qualified for 1500m women's finals in the olympics when she finished in the fourth position.

Gold medallist Uganda's Peruth Chemutai celebrates during the medal ceremony for the women's 3000m steeplechase event during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at the Olympic Stadium in Tokyo on August 4, 2021.


Tokyo Olympics medals table after Wednesday's competition:

Gold Silver Bronze Total

China 32 22 16 70

United States 25 31 23 79

Japan 21 7 12 40

Great Britain 15 18 15 48

Australia 15 4 17 36

Russian Olympic Committee 14 21 18 53

Germany 8 8 16 32

France 6 10 9 25

Italy 6 9 15 30

Netherlands 6 8 9 23

South Korea 6 4 9 19

New Zealand 6 4 5 15

Cuba 5 3 4 12

Hungary 4 5 3 12

Canada 4 4 7 15

Brazil 4 3 8 15

Czech Republic 4 3 1 8

Switzerland 3 4 5 12

Poland 3 3 4 10

Croatia 3 3 2 8

Sweden 2 5 0 7

Taiwan 2 4 5 11

Georgia 2 4 1 7

Denmark 2 2 3 7

Norway 2 2 1 5

Jamaica 2 1 2 5

Iran 2 1 1 4

Slovenia 2 1 1 4

Ecuador 2 1 0 3

Greece 2 0 1 3

Uzbekistan 2 0 1 3

Kosovo 2 0 0 2

Qatar 2 0 0 2

Spain 1 4 5 10

Romania 1 3 0 4

Venezuela 1 3 0 4

Ukraine 1 2 8 11

Kenya 1 2 2 5

Hong Kong 1 2 0 3

Slovakia 1 2 0 3

South Africa 1 2 0 3

Serbia 1 1 4 6

Austria 1 1 3 5

Indonesia 1 1 3 5

Belgium 1 1 1 3

Ethiopia 1 1 1 3

Uganda 1 1 1 3

Philippines 1 1 0 2

Tunisia 1 1 0 2

Turkey 1 0 5 6

Ireland 1 0 2 3

Israel 1 0 2 3

Belarus 1 0 1 2

Estonia 1 0 1 2

Fiji 1 0 1 2

Latvia 1 0 1 2

Bermuda 1 0 0 1

Morocco 1 0 0 1

Puerto Rico 1 0 0 1

Thailand 1 0 0 1

Armenia 0 2 1 3

Colombia 0 2 1 3

Dominican Republic 0 2 1 3

Kirghyzstan 0 2 1 3

India 0 1 2 3

Mongolia 0 1 2 3

Portugal 0 1 2 3

Bulgaria 0 1 1 2

Nigeria 0 1 1 2

San Marino 0 1 1 2

Jordan 0 1 0 1

Namibia 0 1 0 1

North Macedonia 0 1 0 1

Turkmenistan 0 1 0 1

Kazakhstan 0 0 4 4

Azerbaijan 0 0 3 3

Egypt 0 0 3 3

Mexico 0 0 3 3

Argentina 0 0 1 1

Finland 0 0 1 1

Ghana 0 0 1 1

Ivory Coast 0 0 1 1

Kuwait 0 0 1 1

Malaysia 0 0 1 1

Syria 0 0 1 1


Tokyo Olympics athletics results on Wednesday (finals only):

Women

400m hurdles

1. Sydney McLaughlin (USA) 51.46 (WR)

2. Dalilah Muhammad (USA) 51.58

3. Femke Bol (NED) 52.03

4. Janieve Russell (JAM) 53.08

5. Anna Ryzhykova (UKR) 53.48

6. Viktoriya Tkachuk (UKR) 53.79

7. Gianna Woodruff (PAN) 55.84

8. Anna Cockrell (USA) -- disqualified

3,000m steeplechase

1. Peruth Chemutai (UGA) 9:01.45

2. Courtney Frerichs (USA) 9:04.79

3. Hyvin Kiyeng (KEN) 9:05.39

4. Mekides Abebe (ETH) 9:06.16

5. Gesa Felicitas Krause (GER) 9:14.00

6. Marusa Mismas-Zrimsek (SLO) 9:14.84

7. Beatrice Chepkoech (KEN) 9:16.33

8. Zerfe Wondemagegn (ETH) 9:16.41

9. Elizabeth Bird (GBR) 9:19.68 (NR)

10. Winfred Mutile Yavi (BRN) 9:19.74

11. Genevive Lalonde (CAN) 9:22.40 (NR)

12. Valerie Constien (USA) 9:31.61

13. Luiza Gega (ALB) 9:34.10

14. Carolina Robles (ESP) 9:50.96

15. Genevieve Gregson (AUS) DNF

16. Emma Coburn (USA) -- disqualified

Men

200m (wind -0.5 m/s)

1. Andre De Grasse (CAN) 19.62secs

2. Kenneth Bednarek (USA) 19.68

3. Noah Lyles (USA) 19.74

4. Erriyon Knighton (USA) 19.93

5. Joseph Fahnbulleh (LBR) 19.98

6. Aaron Brown (CAN) 20.20

7. Rasheed Dwyer (JAM) 20.21

8. Jereem Richards (TTO) 20.39

800m

1. Emmanuel Korir (KEN) 1min 45.06secs

2. Ferguson Rotich (KEN) 1:45.23

3. Patryk Dobek (POL) 1:45.39

4. Peter Bol (AUS) 1:45.92

5. Adrian Ben (ESP) 1:45.96

6. Amel Tuka (BIH) 1:45.98

7. Gabriel Tual (FRA) 1:46.03

8. Nijel Amos (BOT) 1:46.41

9. Clayton Murphy (USA) 1:46.53

Hammer throw

1. Wojciech Nowicki (POL) 82.52m

2. Eivind Henriksen (NOR) 81.58

3. Pawel Fajdek (POL) 81.53

4. Mykhaylo Kokhan (UKR) 80.39

5. Quentin Bigot (FRA) 79.39

6. Nick Miller (GBR) 78.15

7. Rudy Winkler (USA) 77.08

8. Valeriy Pronkin (ROC) 76.72

9. Esef Apak (TUR) 76.71

10. Javier Cienfuegos (ESP) 76.30

11. Daniel Haugh (USA) 76.22

12. Serghei Marghiev (MDA) 75.24