Kenyan breaks women’s 10km-race world record
Kenyan long-distance runner Agnes Ngetich set a new world record for the women’s 10km race by running 28 minutes and 46 seconds.
The 22-year-old achieved this feat by becoming the first woman to finish the 10km race in under 29 minutes at a World Athletics Label road race in Valencia, Spain on January 14.
Ngetich beat the previous road mixed-race world record established by Ethiopia's Yalemzerf Yehualaw two years ago by 28 seconds.
"Honestly, my clear goal was to break the world record but 28:46 is beyond any expectations… When I saw 14:13 by halfway I didn't scare, it just motivated me a lot to keep on pushing until the end. I have no words to describe what I feel now," she said.
Ngetich’s 10km time is also faster than the women's world record for the distance on the track, with Letesenbet Gidey’s world 10,000m record standing at 29:01.03.
Emmaculate Anyango also ran the race in less than 29 minutes as well, finishing second to her countrymate with a time of 28 minutes and 57 seconds.
Lilian Rengeruk, another Kenyan long-distance runner rounded up the top three with a distance of 29 minutes and 32 seconds.