Olympic 5000m and 10,000m champion Beatrice Chebet ended her year on a remarkable note by breaking the world 5km record at the Cursa dels Nassos in Barcelona. The 24-year-old Kenyan athlete clocked in at an astonishing 13:54*, surpassing the previous record by 19 seconds. Chebet, a two-time world cross-country champion, also became the first woman to run the 5km distance in under 14 minutes on any surface, be it track or road.
The race took place under ideal weather conditions with a temperature of 14C and no wind, providing the perfect setting for Chebet’s record-breaking performance. Paced by Latvia’s Dmitrijs Sergojins, Chebet started off strong, covering the first kilometer in 2:46. Ethiopian duo Medina Eisa and Melknat Wudu, along with Uganda’s Belinda Chemutai, closely followed behind in 2:50, maintaining the world record pace.
Chebet continued to dominate the race, completing the second kilometer in 5:35, well ahead of her previous record-setting pace from the previous year. By the time she reached the third kilometer in 8:24, Chebet was eight seconds inside the world record pace. After the pacemaker withdrew, Chebet increased her speed and covered the fourth kilometer in 2:44, positioning herself to break the 14-minute mark. With a strong finishing kick, Chebet crossed the finish line in 13:54, shattering the world record.
The previous women’s world 5km record for a mixed race was held by Agnes Jebet at 14:13, the same time as Chebet’s world 5km record for a women-only race. Eisa claimed second place in 14:23, setting the fastest time ever by an U20 athlete, while Chemutai secured third place with a significant personal best of 14:36.
Beatrice Chebet’s incredible performance at the Cursa dels Nassos solidifies her status as a dominant force in long-distance running. Her world record-breaking run will go down in history as a remarkable achievement in the sport.
