Summary
– Beatrice Chebet breaks women’s 10,000m world record.
– Heroic reception for Chebet at Kenyan airport.
– Chebet surprised by world record achievement.
– Focus shifts to Paris Olympics and national trials.
Newly crowned women’s 10,000m world record holder, Beatrice Chebet, flew back to her country(Kenya) to a heroic reception at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport this week.
The two-time World Cross Country champion, who clocked a world record 28:54.14 to win the women’s 10,000m at the Prefontaine Classic on last week said the feat was a surprise to her.
“I had not really planned to break the world record when I went to compete in the United States. My management had decided that I simply try to make the qualifying time for the Paris Olympics for the women’s 10,000m. During the race, I felt that my body was in good shape and so I decided to push myself to the limit and that’s how I broke the world record,” Chebet said.
The Commonwealth Games 5000m champion is now looking ahead to the Summer Games where history awaits.
Kenya is yet to win gold in the women’s 10,000m in the history of the competition, but Chebet is praying that the wait comes to an end in Paris.
First things first, the 24-year-old will be gearing up for the national trials for the Olympics where she will be competing in the women 5000m.
Chebet is largely expected to double in the 10,000m as well as 5000m at the Olympics.
Lillian Kasait Joins Chebet
Joining Chebet in the 25-lap race in Paris is Lillian Kasait who clocked 29:26.89 to finish third in Prefontaine.
Kasait, who will be competing for the second time at the Olympics, said she is looking forward to a better performance than the last edition at the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo which were held in 2021.
“The experience in my first Olympics in Tokyo was good but now I want to do better in Paris. The team that we have with Chebet is a formidable one and I know the third person who will join us will make it better,” she said.
Daniel Mateiko Returns
Also arriving back on the same day was Daniel Mateiko who reigned supreme in the men’s 10,000m in the same event after clocking 26:50.81.
Looking at his Olympics debut, Mateiko described it as a dream come true.
“It felt great to win the race…it’s something I had trained for and prepared for quite some time. Now, I want to work hard to ensure a great result at the Paris Olympics,” Mateiko said.
The Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon champion narrowly missed out on the Tokyo Olympics when he clocked 27:27.98 to finish fifth in the men’s 10,000m at the national trials.
However, all that is now water under the bridge and the 25-year-old describes the setback as a blessing in disguise.
“That is part of an athlete’s life…there are always ups and downs in our careers. It was a disappointment but I got over it and now I am looking forward to competing in Paris. I believe that what worked for me in Prefontaine was my self-confidence,” he said.
Beatrice Chebet Profile
Beatrice Chebet (born 5 March 2000) is a Kenyan long-distance runner. In 2022, she won the silver medal in the 5000 metres at the World Championships, and became Commonwealth, African and Diamond League champion. Chebet claimed the gold medal for the women’s senior race at the 2023 and 2024 World Cross Country Championships.
She is also the current world record holder in the 10,000 metres, with a time of 28:54.14, set at the 2024 Prefontaine Classic on 25 May. In setting this record, Chebet became the first woman in history to break 29:00.00 in the 10,000 metres.
She is nicknamed the “smiling assassin”.
She took the world under-20 title in the 5000 m in 2018 and at the 2019 World Cross Country Championships.
Circuit wins and titles, National titles
- Diamond League champion 5000 m:
2022
- 2021: Doha Diamond League (3000 m WL PB)
- 2022: Zürich Weltklasse (5 km PB)
- World Athletics Cross Country Tour
- 2022–23 (2): Atapuerca Cross Internacional, San Vittore Olona Cinque Mulini
- Kenyan Athletics Championships
- 5000 metres: 2022
Personal bests
| Type | Event | Time (m:s) | Venue | Date |
| Track | 3000 metres | 8:25.01 | Oslo, Norway | 15 June 2023 |
| 3000 metres indoor | 8:37.06 | Madrid, Spain | 24 February 2021 | |
| 5000 metres | 14:12.92 | London, England | 23 July 2023 | |
| 10,000 metres | 28:54.14 WR | Eugene, OR, United States | 25 May 2024 | |
| Road | 5 km | 14:32 | Zürich, Switzerland | 7 September 2022 |
| 10 km | 32:52 | Eldoret, Kenya | 24 November 2019 |
