Kenya’s Agnes Ngetich obliterated the women’s world 10km record by running 28:46* at the 10K Valencia Ibercaja, a World Athletics Label road race, on Sunday (14).
The 22-year-old becomes the first woman to break 29 minutes for the distance, improving by 28 seconds the previous road mixed race world record set by Ethiopia’s Yalemzerf Yehualaw in Castellon two years ago. Emmaculate Anyango also dipped under 29 minutes in Valencia, clocking 28:57 to finish runner-up to her compatriot.
World cross country bronze medallist Ngetich was paced in the Spanish coastal city by her compatriot Japheth Kipkemboi Kosgei and the first world record fell at half way as Ngetich went through the 5km checkpoint in 14:13.
That is six seconds faster than the women’s world record achieved in a mixed race, set by Ethiopia’s Ejgayehu Taye in Barcelona in 2021, and matches the time Kenya’s Beatrice Chebet set in a woman-only race in Barcelona a fortnight ago.
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.
Right from the start, the pacemaker set out at a terrific pace to cover the opening kilometres relatively close to the elite men as the trio of Ngetich, Anyango and world 5km silver medallist Lilian Rengeruk went through the 3km point in 8:29.
That cadence was maintained as Ngetich reached half way in 14:13, closely followed by Anyango (14:14) and with Rengeruk travelling another 11 seconds back.
A total of 11 women reached 5km under the 15:00 barrier, Uganda’s Joy Cheptoyek running in fourth place in 14:49 ahead of a large Kenyan squad which included Irine Cheptai and Janeth Chepngetich.
Britain’s Jessica Warner-Judd was timed at 14:55, well on schedule to break her fellow Briton Eilish McColgan’s European record of 30:19 set in Manchester two years ago.
Hampered by an annoying headwind, the rhythm slowed at the beginning of the second half of the race, with the leaders covering the next kilometres in the 2:54/2:56 region.
While Ngetich ran comfortably at the pacemaker’s shoulder, the 23-year-old Anyango began to lose ground as the clock read 20:30. A lonesome Ngetich passed the eighth kilometre mark in 23:10 to confirm a monster performance was on the cards.
At the tape, the Iten-based Ngetich made history and she was joined 11 seconds later by Anyango, who also dipped under the 29-minute barrier to run 17 seconds faster than the previous world record.
Ngetich had appeared to break the women-only 10km world record in Brasov last September when she clocked 29:24, but two weeks later the course was found to be short by 25 metres.
Bouncing back, the world 10,000m sixth-place finisher triumphed in Lille in November when she managed a lifetime best of 29:26. From then on, the 10K Valencia Ibercaja became Ngetich’s focus and that build-up paid off with a stunning world record.
Finishing behind Ngetich in Lille was Anyango, who ran 30:01 – a mark that stood as her PB until her 28:57 performance in Valencia.
To give an idea of the depth of the race, another two contenders – Rengeruk and Chepngetich – managed sub-30:00 performances thanks to their respective times of 29:32 and 29:55 to complete a Kenyan sweep of the top four places, while the 10th-placed finisher Sarah Chelangat of Uganda clocked 30:26. As for Warner-Judd, the 29-year-old Briton was unable to maintain her speed over the second half but still set a massive lifetime best of 30:41 for 12th.
“Honestly, my clear goal was to break the world record but 28:46 is beyond any expectations,” said Ngetich. “When I saw 14:13 by half way 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.”
Ngetich will now focus on the World Athletics Cross Country Championships Belgrade 24 in March and then the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, where athletics will be the No.1 sport in August.
“I’ll be doing the Kenyan trials for Belgrade, where I would like to improve on my bronze medal from last year,” she added.
Leading results
Women
1 Agnes Ngetich (KEN) 28:46
2 Emmaculate Anyango (KEN) 28:57
3 Lilian Rengeruk (KEN) 29:32
4 Janeth Chepngetich (KEN) 29:55
5 Joy Cheptoyek (UGA) 30:03
6 Loice Chemnung (KEN) 30:08
7 Cintia Chepngeno (KEN) 30:08
8 Irine Cheptai (KEN) 30:17
9 Fotyen Tesfay Hailu (ETH) 30:20
10 Sarah Chelangat (UGA) 30:26
By World Athletics
