by Alfonz Juck
Ngetich 28:46 unbelievable WR
VALENCIA (ESP, Jan 14): Agnes Jebet Ngetich shattered the world 10km record at the 10K Valencia Ibercaja with 28:46 to become the first female in history to break the 29 minute-barrier for 10km either on the track or roads, improving the previous mark of 29:14 set by Ethiopia’s Yalemzerf Yehualaw in 2022. Ngetich also equalled the world’s 5km record of 14:13 en route to her world’s 10km record. “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 wasn’t scared; 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. The little-known Immaculate Anyango also broke the previous world record to finish second in 28:57, with Lilian Kasait making it a Kenyan 1-2-3 in 29:32 to move to fourth on the world all-time list. Janeth Chepngetich also broke the 30 minute-barrier in fourth in 29:55. Uganda’s Joy Chepyotek was the leading non-Kenyan finisher in fifth in a national record of 30:03. Jessica Warner-Judd was the top European home in 12th in 30:41, and Francine Niyomukunzi set a Burundian national record of 30:42 in 12th. The top 22 finishers all broke the 32 barrier.
RunBlogRun opines: Agnes Ngetich ran a short course 10k in September 2023 at 29.24, first noted as a WR, and then “short course.” Now, the social media world is on fire about fast shoes and other allegations. The record has to go through the official process, and one has to believe that proper drug testing will be required to approve the World record. No accusations from #RunBlogRun, but the good old days prior to the ridiculously fast shoes are a poor argument.
