Diamond League: Cheptegei Smashes 5000m World Record

Uganda’s Joshua Cheptegei has broken the 5000m World Record with 12:35.36 at the Herculis EBS meeting in the Wanda Diamond League in Monaco, France.

He breaks a long standing record set by Ethiopian Kenenisa Bekele of 12:37.35.

He was given pace by Roy Hoornweg at 1000m) and Matthew Ramsden 2000m before powering his way to take two seconds off Bekele’s record which he set in 2004 in Hengelo.

Joshua Cheap on his way to breaking the 5000m world record. Diamond League photo

Kenyan duo of Nicholas Kimeli and Jacob Krop finished second and third with 12:51.78 and 13:11.32 respectively.

This is his second world record Cheptegei has broken this year in 2020, after he set a new world road 5 km record of 12:51 in Monaco.

The 23-year old trained in Kapchorwa for the event during this lockdown before he was flagged off last Friday by First Lady Janet Museveni alongside Winnie Nanyondo, Halima Nakaayi and Stephan Kissa.

Cheptegei, the Diamond Trophy winner, came into the race with his personal best in 5000m standing at 12:57.41 which he achieved last year in August in Zurich.

It is his third world record as well – He set a new 10k road race World record on December 1, 2019 in Valencia, Spain.

In addition, he is the reigning 10,000-meter and cross country world champion.

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