Steeplechase world champion Beatrice Chepkoech has broken the women’s 5km road world record, finishing the Monaco Run in 14 minutes 43 seconds.
The Kenyan, who also holds the 3,000m steeplechase world record, battled windy conditions with assistance from male pacemaker Luuk Maas.
Congratulations Beatrice Chepkoech for breaking the 5KM Women's World Record in Monaco. We are proud of you for flying Kenya’s 🇰🇪 high and being an inspiration to our youth. Keep going.
Hongera! pic.twitter.com/QYM2JAdOJn
— Raila Odinga (@RailaOdinga) February 14, 2021
“I’m so happy because I didn’t expect it,” said Chepkoech.
“It was cold and there was a lot of wind, but my pacemaker told me ‘we can do it, let’s push it’, and I managed to run right on pace. Everything was perfect.”
Uganda’s Joshua Cheptegei, the 10,000m world champion on the track, won the men’s race in 13:14. He set the men’s 5km record of 12:51 in Monaco last year.
The 5km was recognised as a world record event in November 2017.
