Chekwel's Olympic dream over

Women 5000m semifinal

Heat 1

1 Hellen Obiri (KEN) 15:19.38

2 Yassemin Can (TUR) 15:19.50

9 Juliet Chekwel (UGA) 15:29.07

Heat 2

1 Almaz Ayana (ETH) 15:04.35

2 Sembere Tefri (ETH) 15:17.43

8 Stella Chesang (UGA) 15:49.80 

Juliet Chekwel's dream of improving on her national record hit a snag as she and fellow Ugandan, Stella Chesang failed to advance to the finals of the women 5000m.

The duo was competing in the different two heats in the semifinals held at the Olympic Stadium here in Rio de Janeiro.

Chekwel, who was still visibly frustrated after failing to finish the 10000m final tried to hold on but it was too much for her, giving in at the seventh lap to let the lead pack move on as she fell behind.

She finished in ninth position of the race where the first five in each heat and the rest of the fastest five times advanced to the final.

"I was tired," is all that she could say after the race.

But it was the 10000m champion Almaz Ayana, who made a bold statement in her quest for a double and it will be hard to stop her on today's showing.

Though she knew that it was the position needed for her to qualify, Ayana stretched her fellow competitors by putting up a solo run in the last three laps to come home only four seconds shy of a sub-15 minute time as the crowds gave her a standing ovation.

The final will be held on Friday evening.