Beatrice Chebet of Kenya shattered the women’s 10,000m world record at the Prefontaine Classic Diamond League event in Eugene, Oregon in a stunning display of speed and endurance.
Clocking an astonishing time of 28:54.14, Chebet eclipsed the previous record by a significant margin.
At just 24 years old, Chebet, who has already earned medals in the 5,000m at world championships and boasts a title as a cross-country world champion, outdid the former record of 29:01.03 set by Ethiopia’s Letesenbet Gidey in 2021.
Her triumph not only marked a historic moment in athletics but also secured her position as the top contender for the upcoming Paris Olympics. The favorable weather conditions and the support of the Hayward Field crowd, along with innovative “wavelight” technology, propelled Chebet to break the sub-29-minute barrier, a first for any woman in the 10,000m category.
Although the race was not officially part of the Diamond League’s main events, it gained significant attention as a world record attempt by Ethiopia’s Gudaf Tsegay. Despite Tsegay’s impressive performance, which led to the third-fastest time in history at 20:05.92, it was Chebet’s strategic race execution that stole the show, signaling her readiness for Olympic glory.
