Bizarre moment leader of women’s 10,000m final Rahel Daniel ‘wanders off’ midway through race in Paris – before being blocked from exiting stadium by Olympic officials

This is the bizarre moment Rahel Daniel, who was leading the women’s Olympic 10,000m final, ‘wanders off’ midway through the race in Paris.

The Eritrean runner was ahead of the field in the long-distance event under the lights at the Stade de France when she inexplicably decided to stroll of the track, leaving her rivals free to overtake her. 

Daniel had been looking comfortable at the 2,000m mark of the race and was leading Japan’s Rino Goshima.

Then, in a baffling incident, the athlete walked off the track as she entered the home straight on around the eight-minute mark of the contest.

The incident seemed to be prompted when Daniel appeared to stumble slightly before raising her hand to her face and spitting on the track.

This is the bizarre moment Rahel Daniel, who was leading the women’s Olympic 10,000m final, ‘wanders off’ midway through the race

The Eritrean runner was ahead of the field in the long-distance event under the lights at the Stade de France

Japan’s Rino Goshima seized Daniel’s lead but soon fell down the order

The runner then peeled off from the rest of the pack to the bemusement of a packed crowd at the Stade de France. 

Shortly after, she attempted to make her way out of the stadium before Olympic officials blocked her from getting out and made her walk around the side of the circuit.

Kenya’s Beatrice Chebet eventually took the gold medal in a slow 10,000m final after Goshima fell down the order.

The reasons for Daniel’s departure from the race are as yet unconfirmed but the contest took place on a particularly humid night in the French capital. 

Steve Cram said on BBC One: ‘This is a phenomenal athlete [Chebet]. A world record holder and now double Olympic champion. 

‘She had to work hard for it in the end.’

Meanwhile, Team GB’s Megan Keith endured a tough race and looked visibly emotional when she eventually crossed the finish line.

She was consoled by teammate Eilish McColgan, who finished in 15th place, and cheered on by the crowd as she completed her first event in a British vest.

Kenya’s Beatrice Chebet eventually took the gold medal in a slow 10,000m final

Meanwhile, Team GB’s Megan Keith endured a tough race and looked visibly emotional when she eventually crossed the finish line

She was consoled by teammate Eilish McColgan (left), who finished in 15th place

Eritrea’s Daniel was not the only runner to pull out of the 10,000m mid-race with Alessia Zarbo, from France, exiting the contest after falling over – an incident which drew gasps from a concerned home support. 

Eritrea’s Daniel went into the race with high hopes having finished fifth in the event at the 2022 World Athletics Championships.

Despite her mystifying early exit, just making the final ensured the athlete went one better than her performance at the Tokyo Games three years ago where she fell short in the semi-finals – that time in the 5,000m event.