(Reuters) – Kenyan athlete Agnes Ngetich has broken the 10km world record in Valencia, managing to cut 28 seconds off the previous record and becoming the first woman to run the distance in under 29 minutes.
Ngetich completed the 10km run in an impressive time of 28:46, breaking the road mixed race world record set by Yalemzerf Yehualaw two years prior.
“I am so happy. I didn’t expect this world record. I was coming to improve my time, at least somewhere around 29:14, but I am happy that I ran a world record of 28 minutes. I didn’t expect this,” Ngetich said.
The 22-year-old, who is also a World Cross Country Championships 2023 team gold medallist, had previously set the 10km world record in a women-only race in September with a time of 29:24.
Meanwhile, Uganda’s Jacob Kiplimo emerged victorious in the men’s race in Valencia, finishing with a time of 26:48.
(Reporting by Chiranjit Ojha in Bengaluru)
