Beatrice Chebet has outsprinted Faith Kipyegon in a stunning battle between Kenya's two great female running champions; completing a 5000-10,000 metres double in Tokyo to match her Olympic haul last year.
The world record holder's victory in 14 minutes 54.36 seconds on Saturday completed her set of global distance titles and denied 1500m champion and all-time great Kipyegon a double of her own in Tokyo.
To complete a magnificent night for Kenya, young middle distance star Emmanuel Wanyonyi then delivered a superb, high-speed, gun-to-tape victory -- but only just -- to win the 800m gold in a championship record in a glorious follow-up to his Olympic title triumph last year.
Given Chebet's devastating kick, Kipyegon might feel she made her break to the front on the last lap a bit early in a fabulous 12-and-a-half lap duel, as she ended up having to settle for silver in 14:55.07.
Bronze went to Nadia Battocletti in 14:55.42 to complete a sensational championships for the Italian, who won silver in the 10,000m behind Chebet.
"Running with the likes of Faith and Nadia you just have to believe in yourself. Today was not an easy race," said Chebet.
"I came here without pressure and I knew I should not stress myself. If you lose or win, you need to believe in yourself and in being able to come back stronger."
In a classic men's two-lap race, 21-year-old Wanyonyi clocked a new championship mark of 1:41.86 to just pip Algerian Djamel Sedjati to the line, with Canada's Marco Arop grabbing bronze.
Wanyonyi has been the form man in the event all season and, though he says he does not like front-running, he did just that from the start.
Wanyonyi began to tire on the final straight but had just enough left in the legs to hold off Sedjati, who took silver in 1:41.90, an upgrade from the bronze he'd won at the Paris Games.
Marco Arop, Canada's defending champion and silver medallist at the Olympics, battled through strongly for bronze in 1:41.95.
"Now I need to defend this title," said Wanyonyi, already looking forward. "I want to be a double world champion. Maybe I will start to think about the world record too. It may not happen now, but I also want to win Olympic gold in Los Angeles in 2028. That's the biggest goal."
