It is an Olympic dream come true!” are the words Bahraini Olympic champion Winfred Yavi used to describe her happiness and excitement after winning the gold medal and breaking the Olympic record in the 3000 metres steeplechase race at the Paris Olympics.
She not only won the gold but also shattered the Olympic record with a remarkable time of 8:43.25, breaking the previous record of 8:58.81 set by Gulnara Galkina of Russia in 2008.
Yavi was visibly emotional during the victory ceremony, where she was presented with her gold medal. She said it was tears of joy and appreciation for all the support she has received.
In her remarks to Bahrain News Agency (BNA), Yavi extended her congratulations and gratitude to His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa and His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister, and His Highness Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Representative of HM the King for Humanitarian Works and Youth Affairs and Chairman of the Supreme Council for Y
outh and Sports (SCYS) and His Highness Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the First Deputy Chairman of the SCYS, Chairman of the General Sports Authority (GSA), and President of the Bahrain Olympic Committee.
She also thanked the Bahrain Olympic Committee and the Bahrain Athletics Association for supporting her through this journey.
Yavi didn’t forget those closest to her, adding, ‘A huge thanks to my coach and athletic team, my family, and of course, the fans. Their support means the world to me.’
On her preparations for the Olympics, Yavi said her historic achievement was the result of a combination of hardwork, teamwork, and coming to Paris with a positive mindset.
Yavi recounted that her biggest challenge was being careful not to get boxed in by her competitors during the race. She overcame that by going in front and making a move to the finish line.
She described the moment when she saw herself passing Ugandan Peruth Chemutai in the final stretch of the race as “incredible”.
She added: ” I knew I
had a very strong finish, and my goal was to make a move, attack the barrier, and keep going until I saw the finish line.’
Chemutai won the silver medal in this event, finishing with a national record time of 8:53.34. She had previously secured gold in the same event at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
Yavi had an empowering message for young athletes: ‘Believe it and everything is possible, as long as you keep moving.’
Looking ahead, Yavi declared her intention to defend her title: ‘In the future, I’ll keep doing my thing and come back to defend my title in the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics.’
Source: Bahrain News Agency