September 10, (THEWILL) – Kenyan runner, Agnes Ngetich, made history on Sunday, by breaking the women’s 10km world record at the World Athletics Elite Label road race in Brasov, Romania.
The 22-year-old Ngetich completed the distance in a blistering time of 29 minutes and 24 seconds, smashing the previous record of 29:38 set in 2022 by the late Agnes Tirop of Kenya. In the first 5km, Ngetich clocked an astonishing 14 minutes and 25 seconds, beating Tirop’s 5km world record by 4 seconds. Ngetich continued her incredible pace in the second half to cross the finish line in record time.
Her fellow Kenyan Catherine Reline claimed second place in 30:14, while Uganda’s Joy Cheptoyek took third in 30:34. According to World Athletics, Ngetich’s performance is the third fastest 10km ever run by a woman, behind only two times recorded earlier this year by Ethiopian phenomenon Yalemzerf Yehualaw.
Ngetich’s achievement demonstrates the depth of female distance running talent emerging from Kenya and not just in the women’s category. In the men’s race, Kenyan Weldon Langat took first place. Ngetich’s record-breaking run headlined an exciting day of racing at the Romanian road event.
Her supreme display of speed and endurance over 10km confirms her status as one of the top female runners in the world right now. Ngetich will now look to carry this form into future races as she establishes herself at the pinnacle of women’s long-distance athletics.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
