Diamond League Prefontaine Classic 2024: Beatrice Chebet smashes women’s 10,000m world record

Beatrice Chebet became the first woman to run 10,000m in under 29 minutes at the Prefontaine Classic in Eugene, Oregon on Saturday (25 May).

In the non-Diamond League race, which doubled up as the Kenyan trials for Paris 2024, the two-time world 5000m medallist had Ethiopia’s reigning 10,000m world champion Gudaf Tsegay for company for most of the race.

Chebet surged clear in the last couple of laps, clocking 28:54.14 to break Letesenbet Gidey’s previous mark by almost seven seconds.

Tsegay was second in a new personal best of 29:05.92, the third-fastest time in history, with Lilian Rengeruk in third ahead of Margaret Kipkemboi.

Chebet said afterwards, “I say because Gudaf requested a world record (with the Wavelight technology), ‘Let me go with her and see how my body responded.’ And the body responded well then I decided to go.”

The men’s 10,000m also takes place before the Diamond League disciplines get underway in Hayward Field.