Kenyan duo Faith Kipyegon and Beatrice Chebet each broke world records in stunning style at the Diamond League meeting in Eugene, Oregon on Saturday.
Kipyegon was recently the focus of attention for the running world when she attempted to be the first woman to go under four minutes for the mile in the Nike-backed ‘Breaking4’ project.
That didn’t work out as hoped but back at 1,500m – the distance at which she has won the last three Olympic titles – she improved her own world record mark by clocking 3:48:68, the first woman to go under 3:49.
Final flourish
She kicked with 300 metres to go but the lights on the track at that point told her she was about three metres off the required pace.
But she is renowned for her finishing kick and a stunning late burst netted her the new record in brilliant style.
History maker
At the same meeting history was made when the 14-minute barrier for 5,000m was broken for the first time by a woman.
And in some style as Chebet set a stunning 13:58.06, knocking more than two seconds off the previous record which was set on the same track in 2023 by Ethiopia’s Gudaf Tsegay.
It means that Chebet now holds the world records and Olympic titles in both the 5,000m and 10,000m.
