As Emeterio Valiente reports for World Athletics, Kenya’s Agnes Ngetich obliterated the women’s world 10km record by running 28:46* at the 10K Valencia Ibercaja, a World Athletics Label road race on Sunday (14).

The 22-year-old becomes the first woman to break 29 minutes for the distance, improving by 28 seconds the previous road mixed-race world record set by Ethiopia’s Yalemzerf Yehualaw in Castellon two years ago. Immaculate Anyango also dipped under 29 minutes in Valencia, clocking 28:57 to finish runner-up to her compatriot.

Uganda’s world cross-country champion, Jacob Kiplimo, won the men’s race at 26:48.

World cross-country bronze medallist Ngetich was paced in the Spanish coastal city by her compatriot Japheth Kipkemboi Kosgei. The first world record fell at halfway as Ngetich went through the 5km checkpoint in 14:13. That is six seconds faster than the women’s world record achieved in a mixed race, set by Ethiopia’s Ejgayehu Taye in Barcelona in 2021 and matches the time Kenya’s Beatrice Chebet set in a woman-only race in Barcelona a fortnight ago.

Ngetich’s 10km time is also faster than the women’s world record for the distance on the track, with Letesenbet Gidey’s world 10,000m record standing at 29:01.03.

Right from the start, the pacemaker set out at a terrific pace to cover the opening kilometers relatively close to the elite men as the trio of Ngetich, Anyango, and world 5km silver medallist Lilian Rengeruk went through the 3km point in 8:29. That cadence was maintained as Ngetich reached halfway in 14:13, closely followed by Anyango (14:14) and with Rengeruk traveling another 11 seconds back.

A total of 11 women reached 5km under the 15:00 barrier, Uganda’s Joy Cheptoyek running in fourth place in 14:49 ahead of a sizeable Kenyan squad, which included Irine Cheptai and Janeth Chepngetich. Britain’s Jessica Warner-Judd was timed at 14:55, well on schedule to break her fellow Briton Eilish McColgan’s European record 30:19 set in Manchester two years ago.

Hampered by an annoying headwind, the rhythm slowed at the beginning of the second half, with the leaders covering the next kilometers in the 2:54/2:56 region. While Ngetich ran comfortably at the pacemaker’s shoulder, the 23-year-old Anyango began to lose ground as the clock read 20:30. A lonesome Ngetich passed the eighth-kilometer mark in 23:10 to confirm a monster performance was on the cards.

At the tape, the Iten-based Ngetich made history, and she was joined 11 seconds later by Anyango, who also dipped under the 29-minute barrier to run 17 seconds faster than the previous world record.

Ngetich had appeared to break the women-only 10km world record in Brasov last September when she clocked 29:24, but two weeks later, the course was found to be short by 25 meters. Bouncing back, the world 10,000m sixth-place finisher triumphed in Lille in November when she managed a lifetime best of 29:26. From then on, the 10K Valencia Ibercaja became Ngetich’s focus, and that build-up paid off with a stunning world record.

Finishing behind Ngetich in Lille was Anyango, who ran 30:01 – a mark that stood as her PB until her 28:57 performance in Valencia.

To give an idea of the depth of the race, another two contenders – Rengeruk and Chepngetich – managed sub-30:00 performances thanks to their respective times of 29:32 and 29:55 to complete a Kenyan sweep of the top four places, while the 10th-placed finisher Sarah Chelangat of Uganda clocked 30:26. As for Warner-Judd, the 29-year-old Briton was unable to maintain her speed over the second half but still set a massive lifetime best of 30:41 for 12th.

“Honestly, my clear goal was to break the world record, but 28:46 is beyond any expectations,” said Ngetich. “When I saw 14:13 by halfway, I wasn’t scared; it just motivated me a lot to keep on pushing until the end.

“I have no words to describe what I feel now.”

Ngetich will now focus on the World Athletics Cross Country Championships Belgrade 24 in March and the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, where athletics will be the No.1 sport in August.

“I’ll be doing the Kenyan trials for Belgrade, where I would like to improve on my bronze medal from last year,” she added.

Kiplimo destroys any opposition

Mohamed Reda led the men’s race for the opening two kilometers, which were covered in 5:17, but once the pacemaker dropped out of the race, it was the overwhelming favorite Kiplimo who took command. He led the front pack, which included the unheralded Kenyans Peter Mwaniki Njeru and Dennis Kibet Kitiyo, Bahrain’s Birhanu Balew, and Switzerland’s Dominic Lobalu.

Jacob Kiplimo wins the 10K Valencia Ibercaja (© Organisers)

Shortly before the fourth kilometer, only Kitiyo managed to follow in Kiplimo’s footsteps, the pair going through the 5km checkpoint at 13:20, while Balew, Njeru, and Lobalu ran six seconds back. At that stage, Lobalu was well ahead of schedule to break his compatriot Julien Wanders’ European record 27:13 set in Valencia four years ago.

When the clock read 15 minutes, Kitiyo’s brave resistance ended, and from then on, Kiplimo proved to be in a class of his own. His 7km split of 18:35 did, however, suggest that Rhonex Kipruto’s world record of 26:24 would remain despite the Ugandan’s efforts.

Finally, the world half marathon record-holder romped home unopposed in a vast career best of 26:48 to move him to fifth place on the world all-time list, while Balew also ducked under 27 minutes thanks to a 26:58 PB. In the fight for third place, Njeru (26:59) overtook Kitiyo (27:01) over the closing stages. At the same time, Lobalu was unable to better his 27:09 from last year but did equal the European record of 27:13 and held off a fast-finishing Andreas Almgren, who smashed the Swedish record on his 10km debut with 27:20 for sixth. Spain’s Abdessamad Oukhelfen also set a national record of 27:44.

“I came to Valencia to run a fast time, and I just did, so I’m quite satisfied,” said Kiplimo. “I’m still doubtful about competing at the World Cross Country Championships in Belgrade as my primary goal this year is the Olympic Games, where I would like to double in the 5000m and 10,000m.”

*Subject to the usual ratification procedure

Leading results

Women

1 Agnes Ngetich (KEN) 28:46
2 Emmaculate Anyango (KEN) 28:57
3 Lilian Rengeruk (KEN) 29:32
4 Janeth Chepngetich (KEN) 29:55
5 Joy Cheptoyek (UGA) 30:03
6 Loice Chemnung (KEN) 30:08
7 Cintia Chepngeno (KEN) 30:08
8 Irine Cheptai (KEN) 30:17
9 Fotyen Tesfay Hailu (ETH) 30:20
10 Sarah Chelangat (UGA) 30:26

Men

1 Jacob Kiplimo (UGA) 26:48
2 Birhanu Balew (BRN) 26:58
3 Peter Mwaniki Njeru (KEN) 26:59
4 Dennis Kibet Kitiyo (KEN) 27:01
5 Dominic Lobalu (SUI) 27:13
6 Andreas Almgren (SWE) 27:20
7 Mohamed Ismail (DJI) 27:27
8 Rogers Kibet (UGA) 27:33
9 Hillary Chepkwony (KEN) 27:34
10 Dawit Seare (ERI) 27:35