Ugandan runner Joshua Cheptegei smashed the old men’s 10,000-metre world record, while Ethiopian Letesenbet Gidey set a new mark in the women’s 5000 meters during the Valencia World Record Day event, on Wednesday night in Spain.
Cheptegei ran a time of 26 minutes 11.02 seconds, more than six seconds faster than the 26:17:53 time set in 2005 by Ethiopia’s Kenenisa Bekele.
The Ugandan has enjoyed immense success over the past year. His victory in Valencia came almost exactly a year after he won the gold medal in the 10,000 metres at the World Athletics Championships in Doha.
Last month, he broke Bekele’s 16-year-old 5,000m record at the Diamond League meeting in Monaco.
In December, also in Valencia, Cheptegei broke the record in the 10km road racing, set by Kenyan Leonard Komon 10 years ago.
Letesenbet Gidey, who won her race in 14 minutes 6.62 seconds, shattering the previous mark by more than four seconds.
After the race, Gidey said she was overjoyed to have fulfilled a dream she held.
“This is a longtime dream for me, I’m very happy, this is very big for me,” she said.
Both runners used pacesetters and Wavelight technology in achieving their stunning results.
Wavelight technology employs the use of flashing lights on the inside of the track to indicate pace.
Cheptegei’s NN Running Team of the Netherlands helped put on the event. Only 400 people were allowed to attend due to strict coronavirus measures in Spain
