Beatrice Chebet sets world record in 5,000 meters

EUGENE, Ore. (AP) – Kenyan Beatrice Chebet set a world record in the 5,000 meters, winning the event in 13 minutes, 58.06 seconds Saturday at the Prefontaine Classic.

Chebet became the first woman to run under 14 minutes in the event, surpassing the previous record of 14:00.21 set by Ethiopian Gudaf Tsegay. Tsegay set the record at the 2023 Prefontaine Classic.

Seemingly aware that the record was within reach, Chebet pushed the final 400 meters toward the finish.

Agnes Jebet Ngetich second at Eugene’s Hayward Field in 14:01.29 while Tsegay was third in 14:04.41.

Chebet, 25, was the gold medalist in the 5,000 and 10,000 at the Paris Olympics, becoming just the third woman to win both.

Chebet had the previous world best this year in the event, running 14:06.39 last month in Rome.

“After running in Rome, I said I have to prepare for a record, because in Rome I was just running to win a race, but after running 14:03, I said that I’m capable of running a world record,” she said Saturday.

Chebet also holds the world record in the 10,000, which she set at last year’s Prefontaine Classic, running in 28:54.14 to become the first woman to break 29 minutes in the event.

The Prefontaine Classic is the lone U.S. stop on the Diamond League track and field series.

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