Kenya’s dominance in distance running reached a new pinnacle on Saturday as Beatrice Chebet and Faith Kipyegon delivered extraordinary, record-breaking performances at the Wanda Diamond League’s Prefontaine Classic in Eugene.
The two superstars stunned the global athletics world with victories in their respective events, each rewriting history with new world records.
Beatrice Chebet Becomes First Woman to Break 14 Minutes in 5000m
In a historic moment, Beatrice Chebet clocked 13:58.06 in the women’s 5000 meters, becoming the first woman to complete the distance in under 14 minutes.
This sensational time shattered the previous world record of 14:00.21 set by Ethiopia’s Gudaf Tsegay, trimming it by more than two seconds.
Chebet, already the world record holder in the 10,000 meters, showed exceptional tactical brilliance and endurance. She broke away from the lead pack, which included Tsegay and fellow Kenyan Agnes Jebet Ngetich, shortly after the 2000-meter mark.
In the final 200 meters, Chebet surged with power, distancing herself from her rivals and making history. Ngetich followed in second with 14:01.29—now the third-fastest time ever—while Tsegay placed third in 14:04.41.
Chebet credited her motivation to fellow Kenyan legend Faith Kipyegon, revealing she was inspired by her teammate’s pursuit of greatness. Her run marks a defining moment in women’s distance running.
Faith Kipyegon Breaks Her Own 1500m World Record
Not to be overshadowed, Faith Kipyegon, the reigning queen of the 1500m, delivered another unforgettable performance. She broke her own world record with a blazing time of 3:48.68. This latest achievement adds to her growing legacy, following a world-record mile in Paris just a week earlier.
Kipyegon executed a perfect race plan, closely following the pacemaker before unleashing her trademark final-lap acceleration.
Australia’s Jessica Hull and Ethiopia’s Diribe Welteji attempted to challenge her but couldn’t keep pace. Welteji took second with 3:51.44, while Hull settled for third in 3:52.67.
The Eugene Diamond League meet will go down in history as a celebration of Kenyan excellence. Chebet and Kipyegon’s sensational displays reaffirmed Kenya’s dominance in global distance running and left fans eagerly awaiting their next chapters on the track.