Beatrice Chebet breaks world record, snatches ticket to Paris Olympics
Chebet breaks world and national record, snatch ticket to Paris Olympics.
What you need to know:
- Chebet became the first woman in history to run under 29 minutes on track but also the fastest Kenyan woman to hold a world record in 10,000m.
- She also shattered the national records of 29:32.53 held by the 2011 world 10,000m and 5,000m champion Vivian Cheruiyot set at the 2016 Rio Olympics Games.
World cross country champion Beatrice Chebet of Kenya is the new 10,000m world record holder.
The 24-year-old clocked a blistering 28 minutes and 54.14 seconds to win the women’s 10,000m and break the world record by a massive seven seconds at the Prefontaine Classic Diamond League on Saturday in Eugene, Oregon, United States of America.
The feat by the world 5,000m bronze medallist saw her break the previous record of 29:01.03 set by Ethiopian Letesenbet Gidey on June 8, 2021, in Hengelo, the Netherlands.
Chebet also became the first woman in history to run under 29 minutes on track but also the fastest Kenyan woman to hold a world record in 10,000m.
She also shattered the national records of 29:32.53 held by the 2011 world 10,000m and 5,000m champion Vivian Cheruiyot set at the 2016 Rio Olympics Games.
Cheruiyot finished second behind Ethiopian Almaz Ayana, who won gold in a world record time of 29:17.45, a record that would be shattered by Gidey in Hengelo.
Chebet refused to leave world 10,00m champion Gudaf Tsegay, staying behind the Ethiopian, who had been tipped to break the world record.
It was a thriller as Tsegay and Chebet battled to stay ahead of the green wave light that indicates the world record pace by two metres.
The Kenyan, against the backdrop of thunderous cheers, surged to drop Tsegay with 1,000m to go as the duo lapped the whole field.
Chebet, the Commonwealth Games 5,000m champion, was home and dry, beating her previous personal best of 33:29.70 to claim the Paris Olympic Games 10,000m slot.
