⁍ Ugandan Joshua Cheptegei smashed the men’s 10,000 metres world record.
⁍ Cheptegei beat the time of 26:17:53 set in 2005 by Ethiopian Kenenisa Bekele.
⁍ Ethiopian Letesenbet Gidey demolished the women’s 5,000 metres mark.
– Uganda’s Joshua Cheptegei broke the men’s 10,000-meter world record today in Valencia, Spain, in a time of 26 minutes, 11.02 seconds—more than six seconds faster than the previous record set by Ethiopian Kenenisa Bekele in 2005, Reuters reports. “This is a longtime dream for me, I’m very happy, this is very big for me,” said Cheptegei, who also won the gold medal at last year’s World Championships in Doha. In the women’s 5,000-meter race, Ethiopia’s Letesenbet Gidey set a new world record, crossing the line in 14 minutes, 6.62 seconds—more than four seconds faster than the previous record set by her compatriot Tirunesh Dibaba in Oslo in 2008. Only 400 people were allowed into the event due to strict coronavirus measures in Spain, but Cheptegei still savoured the moment with a lap of honor, wrapped in the Uganda flag and wearing a crown.
Source: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-athletics-spain-cheptegei/cheptegei-gidey-demolish-world-records-in-valencia-idUSKBN26S3DI