French athlete collapses in 10,000m final while race continues around her

French athlete Alessia Zarbo collapsed to the ground during the Olympics 10,000m final on Friday in the Stade de France.

Medics rushed to the aid of the 22-year-old when she fell to the floor with a handful of laps left in the race, which continued around her for a period of time while she was examined.

Zarbo was carried away on a stretcher and applauded off by the home crowd. It is unclear at this stage what caused Zarbo to collapse and what her current condition is.

Team GB’s Eilish McColgan finished in 15th while team-mate Megan Keith ended her Olympic debut being helped from the track by medical staff after the finish line.

She started her final lap after all other athletes were finished, but was cheered round by the crowd.

Kenya’s Beatrice Chebet surged to the gold medal to add to her 5,000m title with Italian Nadia Battocletti taking silver and Dutch athlete Sifan Hassan in third.

World record-holder Chebet did her share of the early pace-making and when the pack broke into a sprint with one lap remaining she pulled away on the final turn to deliver Kenya’s first gold medal in the event.

“To do the 5,000m and 10,000m is not something easy. But just focus, and know that you can achieve,” she said. “Just believe in yourself. I believed that I can do it.”

Battocletti, who finished third in the 5,000m but had her bronze medal taken away when Kenyan Faith Kipyegon’s disqualification was overturned, made sure of her podium spot in the longer race.

Eritrea’s Rahel Daniel, the leader through the first two laps, dropped out after 2,000 metres as Chebet stayed near the front of the pack at a comfortable pace.

Her compatriots Margaret Kipkemboi and Lilian Rengeruk joined her about two-thirds of the way through, as Hassan tried her usual strategy of hanging around near the back of the pack.

Hassan made her move with 400 metres to go as the leaders broke into an all-out sprint and Kipkemboi and Rengeruk lost ground as Battocletti moved past them.

Chebet ran down the final straight on her own and looked up at the results with sheer joy on her face before wrapping herself in the Kenyan flag.

Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.