12th Fasu Games: Faith Chebet's Unfamiliar 5,000m Experiment Ends In Gold
Faith Chebet arrived in Cairo as an 800m and 1,500m runner. She left the 12th All Africa University Games with a gold medal in the 5,000m, an event she had never competed in before.
The Kenyan third year Education student at Kisii University had spent her athletics career developing across the 800m and 1,500m. The 5,000m offered a completely different challenge, covering five kilometres and twelve and a half laps of the track while demanding patience, physical strength and mental control.
Despite having no previous competitive experience in the event, Chebet embraced the challenge at the 12th FASU Games in Cairo and produced a winning performance.
Patience Became The Strategy
Chebet's victory was built around a decision she had made before the race: wait.
"I knew that I would have the advantage in the last leg and that it would save me," she said.
The race developed into a tactical contest, with the athletes remaining together and refusing to give one another an early advantage. Chebet was comfortable allowing the others to lead while she conserved her energy.
"I was just relaxing, sitting last," she recalled.
As the race approached its final lap, Chebet knew that her opportunity had arrived. She understood the strength of the athletes around her but trusted the speed she had preserved throughout the race.
"These girls are very strong and we are the same," she remembered telling herself. "But what can define me more is the last lap."
The strategy paid off, giving Chebet gold in an event she had never previously raced competitively.
Building Beyond The 800m And 1,500m
The victory was another indication of Chebet's growing potential across different distances. Earlier in the year, she won her race at the Kenya Universities Sports Federation National Cross Country Championships.
She had also spent about a year combining shorter and longer distance training and had been preparing in camp before travelling to Egypt. Moving into the 5,000m required more than simply increasing the distance she could run.
"If you want to run the long distance very well, you need to do long runs most of the time and do the speed work at the same time," she explained.
Her performance in Cairo suggests that the transition could become another part of her athletics journey.
Inspired By Kenya's Distance Running Tradition
Chebet's ambitions extend beyond university competition. She hopes to become a champion for Kenya and draws inspiration from some of the country's leading distance runners.
One of those athletes is Faith Kipyegon, whose achievements across the 1,500m and longer distances have made her a major inspiration for the young runner.
Chebet also looks towards Beatrice Chebet, another Kenyan athlete who has demonstrated versatility across distance events, including Olympic gold in the 5,000m and 10,000m at Paris 2024.
For the Kisii University student, however, the goal is not to replicate their careers but to learn from them.
"If I had the chance to meet Faith Kipyegon, I would just want her to help me," she said, explaining that she would value guidance in identifying areas where she can improve her training and development.
Balancing Athletics And Education
At Kisii University, athletics has remained alongside her education. Chebet describes running as something she has pursued almost like a hobby, while discipline has helped her maintain a balance between her academic work and athletics.
"Being focused is the most important thing," she said.
The 5,000m was supposed to be a new experience for Chebet. Instead, her first competitive attempt became a FASU Games gold medal.
After twelve and a half laps around the Cairo track, a distance she had never raced before had become a new frontier for an athlete who is beginning to discover just how far she can go.
Source: Federation of Africa University Sports (FASU) Original report by: Victor Oluwaseun Olabisi