Kenya’s Agnes Ngetich became the first woman to run 10km in under 29 minutes when she crossed the finish line of the Valencia Ibercaja road race in Spain in 28:46, shattering the world record by 28 seconds.
22-year-old Ngetich’s compatriot Emmaculate Anyango, who she’s been racing since primary school, also broke the 29-minute barrier in Valencia, finishing in 28:57 to take second.
Ethiopian Yalemzerf Yehualaw had set the previous road world record of 29:14 in 2022 at Castellon.
Ngetich’s time also surpasses the 10,000m track world record of 29:01.03, set by Ethiopian Letesenbet Gidey.
Agnes Jebet Ngetich becomes the first woman to break the 29min barrier in a 10km.
The Kenyan clocks an incredible 28:46 in Valencia to break the world record by almost half a minute. pic.twitter.com/p755XU5SB5
— AW (@AthleticsWeekly) January 14, 2024
“I’m so happy, I didn’t expect this world record,” said Ngetich, a 2023 World Cross Country Championships bronze medallist and team gold medallist who also set the women’s-only 10k road race record at 29:24 this past September.
“I was coming to improve my time, at least somewhere around 29:14, but I am happy that I ran a world record.”
Ngetich’s time for the first 5km, 14:13, also equalled Beatrice Chebet’s 5km record for a women’s-only race, set two weeks ago.
Kenya made a complete sweep of the podium as Lilian Rengeruk came in third in 29:32, while Britain’s Jess Warner-Judd took fourth in 30:41, taking 25 seconds off her personal best.