Joshua Cheptegei Sets 10,000m World Record

Uganda’s Joshua Cheptegei produced a stunning run in Valencia to break 15-year-old 10,000m world record by more than six seconds.

The 24-year-old, who won the 10,000m world title in Doha last year, had promised he would take a short time to smash the longest standing world record.

Cheptegei fulfilled the prophecy on Wednesday clocking 12 minutes 35.36 seconds at the NN World Record Day event to beat Kenenisa Bekele’s previous mark of 12:37.35.

“I wanted to live up to expectations so I’m happy to achieve my dream,” said Cheptegei. “I was trying to remake history so that people will have something to enjoy. Sports lovers of the world can have something to remember.

“In this difficult situation, I hope things like this can still give us joy and some hope for tomorrow,” he added, with a nod to the coronavirus pandemic that has devastated the athletics calendar this year.

Cheptegei was in his best form ever, having previously broken Bekele’s 5,000m World Record that had stood for 16 years in August and back in February he smashed the world 5km road record in Monaco.

Guided by trackside lights illustrating world record pace, he was in the perfect position at the midway point with a 13:07:73 split.

He got faster and was able to break the world record which was his fourth this year, having broken the 10km road best in December and the 5km road record in February.