Kenyan middle- and long-distance runners Faith Kipyegon and Beatrice Chebet smashed the world records in the 1500m and 5000m races, respectively, on Saturday, July 5, to continue a hot streak for Kenyan runners.
The two achieved this great honour at the 50th Prefontaine Classic held at the Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon, United States.
Kipyegon broke her own record almost a year after setting it, clocking in at 3:48.68. The new record lowers her previous one by .36 seconds.
This comes just over a week after she attempted to run a sub-four-minute mile. Although she did not manage to run a mile in less than four minutes, she posted a time that, had it been eligible, would have qualified as a world record.
"When I was in Paris, I said it was still possible to run under 3:49, and I am so grateful. I thank God, my management, my coach and my support system through this period," she told Wanda Diamond League after the match.
She further attributed her fast time to the training she underwent for the sub-4-mile trial, stating, "I was preparing for something special, to run under 4 minutes in the mile, and I think I pushed myself towards getting better in the 1500 so I knew it was possible to run under 3:49."
As for Chebet, she shattered the world record with a sprint finish of 13:58.06, becoming the first woman ever to run a 5000m course under 14 minutes.
Her record-breaking time broke the previous mark of 14:00.21 held by Ethiopia's Gudaf Tsegay.
The new record is two seconds faster than the previous world record, and Chebet is the only other person who has come within four seconds of Tsegay’s record since 2023.
After Chebet, the second in the race was also a Kenyan, Agnes Jebet Ngetich, who clocked in at 14:01.29, followed by the previous world record holder, Tsegay, who finished in third at 14:04.41.
President William Ruto led Kenyans in celebrating the two on Sunday morning, writing, "We salute Faith Kipyegon and Beatrice Chebet for setting new world records in the women’s 1500m and 5000m events at the Prefontaine Classic."
He also celebrated Jebet, who came second to Chebet for securing a strong second-place finish in the 5000m.
The two, Kipyegon and Chebet, have had successful careers over the past few years, with both of them being recognised and awarded by the Academy of Achievement for their achievements in 2024.
President William Ruto presented the awards during a Dinner of the Golden Plate Awards Ceremony at the Lincoln Centre in New York on September 22, 2024.
“The extraordinary honour is a solid tribute to your hard work, talent and dedication to athletics. No doubt, it will inspire upcoming athletes and help shape our country’s sports," Ruto said while presenting the awards.
