Kenyan runner Agnes Jebet Ng’etich has credited her record-breaking run on Saturday in ‘Adizero Road To Records’ race in Herzogenaurach, Germany, to rigorous training, good work ethic, and her never-say-die attitude in races she competes in.
On Saturday, Jebet, 24, broke the women-only 10 kilometres record in the annual elite running event hosted at the global headquarters of adidas in Herzogenaurach, Germany. She won the race in 29 minutes and 27 seconds, becoming the first athlete to run the race in under 30 minutes. She broke previous world record of 30:01 set by the late Agnes Jebet Tirop in 2021.
Speaking to Nation Sport afterwards, Jebet, who now holds both the women-only 10km record, and the mixed 10km world record said competing in the Kenyan round of the World Cross Country Tour series (Sirikwa Classic), and the Grand Slam Track, an elite track event series featuring athletics starts head-to-head, put her in the right frame of mind to break the women-only 10km world record on Saturday.
“Both races put me in the right frame of mind to break the record,” she told Nation Sport on phone on Monday.
Agnes Jebet Ng’etich speaks after training at Kipchoge Keino Stadium in Eldoret City, Uasin Gishu County on March 29, 2025.
Photo credit: Jared Nyataya | Nation Media Group
She finished second in the opening Long Distance race of Grand Slam Track in Kingston, Jamaica, running the 3,000m in a personal best time of 8:28.75 in the Grand Slam Track held on April 4 in Kingston, Jamaica’.
She finished second to Ethiopia’s Ejgayehu in 3,000m, and again in the 5,000m in the first leg of the inaugural Grand Slam Track in Kingston, Jamaica.
But her 10km women-only record in ‘Adizero Road To Records’ in Herzogenaurach, Germany, on Saturday, came as a surprise even to herself.
“I had done well in previous races, which helped me perform well, but I had just planned to run a good race in Germany, a world record wasn’t on my mind.”
“Sometimes one doesn't plan for records. A similar thing happened last year when I broke women’s mixed 10km record.”
Agnes Jebet Ng’etich speaks after training at Kipchoge Keino Stadium in Eldoret City, Uasin Gishu County on March 29, 2025.
Photo credit: Jared Nyataya | Nation Media Group
Jebet also holds the women’s mixed 10km world record of 28:46 seconds she set in Valencia on January 14, last year.
But she puts in many hours of training, covering between 160km and 165km weekly in training.
She reckons she registers positive results when her body reacts well in races, and in good weather.
“Of course that is after putting in the hard work in training,” Jebet, who belongs to Ikaika Sports Management and trains in Iten under coach Julien Di Maria, said.
She hopes her second world record over 10km puts her in good standing ahead of the 2025 World Athletics Championships scheduled for September 13 to 21 in Tokyo.
But she is cognizant of the tough challenge that she faces over 10,000m race that has some of the world's finest athletes, including double Paris Olympic champion Beatrice Chebet and reigning world 10,000m champion Gudaf Tsegay from Ethiopia.
Agnes Jebet Ng’etich speaks after training at Kipchoge Keino Stadium in Eldoret City, Uasin Gishu County on March 29, 2025.
Photo credit: Jared Nyataya | Nation Media Group
“I really need to work on my speed if I am to match them. After missing out on representing Kenya at the Olympics last year, I am determined to make the team for the World Athletics Championships. I pray to God that I stay healthy,” said Ng’etich.
The World Athletics Championships are scheduled from September 13 to 21 in Tokyo, Japan.
A stress fracture in the leg kept Jebet out of the 10,000m race in the Kenyan trials ahead of the Paris Olympics. Kenya held the trials at the Prefontaine Classic Meeting in Oregon, where Beatrice Chebet won in a world record time of 28:54.14.
Chebet went on to clinch a historic 5,000m and 10,000m titles at the Paris Olympics.
“Facing the finest is a good challenge, and a good experience I really need to improve my distance running career,” the 24-year-old said, adding that one has to beat the best to become the best.
Ng’etch is an early riser, waking up between 5am to 6am daily, depending on the day’s training schedule.
“On a typical day, I wake up at 5am and do speed work. I usually have breakfast after a workout, then I take light lunch, preferably chicken and rice, at noon. Afterwards, I rest for four hours, then I embark on evening training,” Jebet said.
Her dinner time is between 7.30pm and 8pm, then she retires to bed at 9pm.
“I love ugali and chapati, taken with white meat, milk and vegetable,” Jebet said.
She doesn’t consume red meat for medical reasons, and she values a good rest.
“A good rest of at least eight hours is vital to help revitalise one’s body and mind...you wake up fresh afterwards.”
