Faith Kipyegon medal reinstatement, explained: Why did Kenyan runner get silver medal back after 5000-meter disqualification?

Sunday at Stade de France brought a photo finish in the men's 100-meter final. Monday's slate couldn't be outdone, with a disqualification rocking the women's 5000m.

The ending of the race brought a roller coaster of emotions for Kenya's Faith Kipyegon — and Italy's Nadia Battocletti — in the minutes and hours that followed. Kipyegon celebrated a silver medal with her teammate Beatrice Chebet, who won gold, only to find out less than an hour after the race that she was disqualified for obstruction.

That pushed Netherlands' Sifan Hassan up to silver and moved Battocletti onto the podium, eliciting an emotional reaction from the Italian runner.

Hours later, though, Kipyegon's medal was reinstated and Battocletti was again left without any hardware.

It's official 👏

Legendary women's 5000m podium ⬇️

🥇 Beatrice Chebet 🇰🇪
🥈 Faith Kipyegon 🇰🇪
🥉 Sifan Hassan 🇳🇱 #Paris2024 #Olympics pic.twitter.com/miotkAOIDS

— World Athletics (@WorldAthletics) August 5, 2024

Here's what you need to know about the decision to reinstate Kipyegon's silver medal in the women's 5000-meter.

MORE: Updated track and field medal count at 2024 Olympics

Faith Kipyegon medal reinstatement, explained

Kipyegon was originally disqualified for obstruction after it was ruled she interfered with Ethiopia's Gudaf Tsegay near the front of the pack in the latter stages of the women's 5000-meter final Monday.

It was a rare show of physicality on the track that sparked stunned reactions from NBC's broadcast crew. The incident also seemed to impact Tsegay, who would quickly fade from the front of the race and finish ninth.

Commentators say Tsegay should have been disqualified, not Faith Kipyegon.

She will probably appeal pic.twitter.com/jsMD6xt8Eo

— Larry Madowo (@LarryMadowo) August 5, 2024

There was no doubting that Kipyegon and Tsegey made contact, but whether Kipyegon was actually at fault was the subject of an intense debate as soon as her disqualification was announced. Kenya quickly filed an appeal and won, getting her medal reinstated. 

NBC broadcasters pointed out that it was Tsegay, not Kipyegon, who appeared to initiate contact. Tsegay's arm appeared to make contact with Kipyegon twice as she tried to cut over and in front of the Kenyan runner. Kipyegon actually came close to running out of room on the inside of the track when Tsegay made contact with her. 

Both runners appeared to be as frustrated as they could be in the middle of a high-stakes race, though it was Tsegay who would fall to the middle of the pack shortly after the incident.

World Athletics reinstate Kipyegon's medal upon appeal, indicating that the governing body agreed that the Kenyan runner did not initiate the contact.

Chebet said after winning gold that she hoped "justice" would be done for her teammate and predicted that Kipyegon would have her medal reinstated. She was right, and Kenya can now celebrate two medals in the crowded 5000-meter final.

MORE: Full results from Monday's Olympic track and field events

Olympic women's 5000m results