Eritrea Celebrates Double Podium as Dawit Seare Wins World 5km Gold

Eritrea earned a double celebration in Copenhagen on Saturday, September 19, as Dawit Seare won the men’s world 5km title and teammate Saymon Amanuel claimed bronze at the World Athletics Road Running Championships.

Seare crossed the finish line in 12:56, setting an Eritrean national record, after a thrilling late battle with Norway’s Jakob Ingebrigtsen. The Norwegian took silver in 12:59, a national record of his own.

The victory demanded more than one decisive move. Ingebrigtsen caught and passed Seare in the closing stages, briefly looking set to win. But the Eritrean found another burst of speed, reclaimed the lead and pulled clear, lifting his arms in celebration as he finished.

Amanuel made sure Eritrea’s success did not end with gold. His personal best of 13:00 secured bronze, giving the country two of the three places on the men’s podium.

For Seare, the world crown adds to the African 5000m title he won earlier this year—a season that has now brought him championship victories on both track and road.

“I know Jakob is a very strong athlete,” Seare said afterwards, adding: “but at the end I won and I am very pleased about that.”