Kenya’s Chebe breaks women’s 5km world record

Kenya’s Beatriz Chebe set a women’s 5km world record in Barcelona on Sunday.

The 23-year-old’s time was 14 minutes 13 seconds, breaking the women’s world record of 14 minutes 29 seconds set by Ethiopia’s Sembele Teferi in September 2021.

Her performance also broke the women’s mixed race world record of 14 minutes and 19 seconds, set by Ethiopia’s Ejegayev Taiye at the 2021 Barcelona Games.

“I felt that I had the ability to break the world record, so I came to Barcelona determined to break it,” Chebet said. “This world record means so much to me, I can’t believe it.”

On Sunday, Tay finished second behind Chebet with a time of 14 minutes, 21 seconds, and Kenya’s Lilian Kassite Lengeluk was third with a time of 14 minutes, 26 seconds, with the top three finishing below the previous women’s-only world record.

Uganda’s Joy Chepteyek also came within that mark, finishing fourth in 14 minutes 28 seconds.

More than two kilometers from the end, Tay moved to the front and shared the lead with Chebet. Chebet won the world cross country gold medal at Bathurst and the world 5000m bronze medal in Budapest, before winning the 5k world championship in Riga. to achieve a record pace.

The trio reached the 4km mark after a relatively slow split of 2 minutes and 58 seconds, clocking 11 minutes and 36 seconds, but Lengeluk was unable to maintain that speed and the race became a battle between Chebet and Tay. became.

But it was Chebe who found a new gear with 500 meters to go and made history, extending his advantage over the world 10,000m bronze medalist.

The men’s race was won by Dominique Robal of Switzerland in 13 minutes and 12 seconds, six seconds ahead of second place Matthew Kipkoech Kipruto of Kenya.