HERZOGENAURACH (Japan) – Two world records tumbled when Kenya’s Agnes Tirop surged to victory in the 10 km race and Ethiopia’s Senbere Teferi triumphed in the 5 km distance at an event in Herzogenaurach, Germany.
Tirop, a twice world 10,000m bronze medallist, won the 10 km event with a time of 30 minutes and one second, finishing ahead of Sheila Chepkirui and shaving 28 seconds off the record previously set by Morocco’s Asmae Leghzaoui 19 years ago.
“I’m so happy to have broken the world record,” Tirop said according to Reuters. “I felt the pace was good and Sheila assisted me a lot. The course was very good too.”
Chepkirui finished with a time of 30:17, also inside the previous record time, but was no match for Tirop, who broke away with two kilometres to go and surged to the finish line.
In the 5 km race, Teferi finished with a time of 14:30, overthrowing the record of 14:44 set by Kenyan Beatrice Chepkoech.
“I’m so happy,” said Teferi, who finished sixth in the 5,000m at the Tokyo Olympics. “After the Olympics, I knew I was ready to go after this world record.”
Tirop, the world 10,000m bronze medallist, put in a decisive surge with little more than two kilometres to go in the 10km, breaking away from fellow Kenyan Sheila Chepkirui before eventually winning in 30:01.
“I’m so happy to have broken the world record,” said Tirop. “I felt the pace was good and Sheila assisted me a lot. The course was very good too.”
Tirop and Chepkirui were part of a five-woman lead pack during the early stages of the 10km and passed through 4km in 12:07.
A couple of minutes later, Tirop and Chepkirui had broken away from the rest of their opponents, reaching the half-way point in 15:00 after coving the fifth kilometre in a swift 2:54.
Chepkirui then moved in front of her compatriot and tried to force the pace but was unsuccessful in making a break. The duo continued to run side by side for the best part of three kilometres, but Tirop started her long run for home with about six minutes to go.
Tirop, who won the senior world cross-country title as a teenager back in 2015, passed through 9km in 27:07 with a comfortable lead and was still comfortably inside world record pace.
She didn’t ease back for the final kilometre, though, and covered it in another 2:54 to reach the finish line in 30:01.
Chepkirui finished second in 30:17, also inside the previous mark of 30:29 set by Morocco’s Asmae Leghzaoui back in 2002. Nancy Jelagat was third in 30:50.
In other races, world record-holder Rhonex Kipruto won the men’s 10km in 26:43, the fourth-fastest time in history.
Abel Kipchumba was a convincing winner of the men’s half marathon in 58:48 with fellow Kenyan Alexander Mutiso Munyao taking second in 59:20, and Brenda Jepleting added to the Kenyan success with a dominant 1:06:52 victory in the women’s race.
Jacob Krop won the men’s 5km in 13:06, breaking away from two-time world 5000m champion Muktar Edris in the second half to finish three seconds ahead of the Ethiopian.
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