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On a historic night of long-distance racing, two long-standing world records were comfortably broken.
In a unique event dedicated to breaking two world records, Joshua Cheptegei of Uganda and Ethiopia Letesenbet Gidey delivered with style.
Cheptegei timed 26:11:02 at the NN World Record Day event in Valencia, Spain to beat Kenenisa Bekele’s 10,000m record in 15 years from 26: 17.53.
“It was my dream. We are trying to write history on the track and let people know that the track is still exciting,” the 10,000-meter world champion in athletics said afterward.
When asked if this moment means that he has ‘achieved greatness’, he replied:
“I think this is just the foundation for what I want to achieve in the next few years.”
Before that, Gidey from Ethiopia crossed the line at 14:06:65 for breaking Tirunesh Dibaba’s 12-year world record from 14:11:15 in women 5,000 m.
“This is a long-term dream and I am very happy,” said the 22-year-old.
“It’s very beautiful (for Ethiopia). Before it was Tirunesh Dibaba, and now it’s me.”
events
Oct 7
NN Valencia World Record Day
Spain
Cheptegei was in good shape before the race at the Turia Stadium, having broken Bekele’s 5,000-meter world record in the Monaco Diamond League in August.
After that performance, double Olympic champion of the 10,000m world record Haile Gebreselassie he described the Ugandan as “simply the best”. High praise from a long-distance racing legend, but a compliment that Cheptegei proved was worthy of that night.
The race started shortly before 10:00 p.m. local time in warm, windless conditions. Despite the largely empty stadium, there was a lot of atmosphere due to the large crowds watching the high city walls from afar.
Using pacemakers and Wavelight technology, where the lights flash at an assigned rate around the track rail, Cheptegei was in a perfect position at the midpoint with a 13:07:73 split.
Cheptegei’s record-breaking exploits have fulfilled his own prophecy, having told the Olympic Channel in an exclusive interview in September:
“I am in exceptional shape. I would like to make the most of my current form by attacking the 10,000 meter world record and I hope we can re-create something really special in Valencia.”
He also revealed the secret to his success and you can read more about that here.
Having accumulated several world titles and world records, Cheptegei is rapidly consolidating his legendary status in long-distance racing.
But the Kapsewui-born man has had to go through some bitter disappointments in the sport, and he hasn’t even always liked running. Click here to find out five things you probably didn’t know about Cheptegei here.
