Kenyan Béatrice Chebet sets 10,000 meter world record

EUGENE, Ore. (AP) — Beatrice Chebet of Kenya set a world record in the 10,000 meters at the Prefontaine Classic competition Saturday, finishing in 28 minutes, 54.14 seconds.

Chebet broke the previous record of 29.01.03 set by Ethiopian Letesenbet Gidey at the FBK Stadium in the Netherlands on June 8, 2021.

Chebet finished ahead of Gudaf Tsegay of Ethiopia, who finished in 29:05.92 in cloudy, cool temperatures at Eugene’s Hayward Field.

Chebet started to pull away with three laps to go, then launched into the final lap.

“My body was responding well and I felt strong,” she said. “I felt very comfortable.”

It was his first 10,000m race since 2020 in Nairobi.

Chebet, 24, won the silver medal in the 5,000 meters at the world championships at Hayward Field in 2022. She won the bronze medal in that event at the world championships last year in Budapest.

This arrival qualifies her for her first Olympic Games this summer in Paris. She said Saturday she hoped to double at the 5,000 and 10,000.

“But my goal is to organize 5,000 first, then 10,000 second,” she said. “Because it’s my first 10,000m outside the country to run, and I’m so happy to run 28, a world record.”

The Prefontaine Classic is the only American stop in the international Diamond League series.

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