Agnes Ngetich runs 10km in under 29 minutes, shattering world record

Agnes Ngetich runs 10km in under 29 minutes, shattering world record
Grace Fisher
Grace Fisher

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.

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"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.

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"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.

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