By Lucky Sidney Mulerah
Kenyan long-distance sensation Beatrice Chebet sent a powerful message to the athletics world after narrowly missing the 5000m world record during a thrilling Diamond League performance on Friday.
Chebet stormed to victory with an impressive time of 14:03.69 minutes, edging closer than ever to breaking the current world record held by Ethiopia's Gudaf Tsegay. The Kenyan star, visibly elated after the race, confirmed that her sights are now firmly set on running under 14 minutes — a feat no woman has ever achieved in the event.
“Just let me run my own race,” Chebet said after her win. “I feel my body is in good shape and I have to see how far I can go.”
While the record eluded her by a few seconds, Chebet’s dominant performance proved that it’s only a matter of time. Her words, “I am going for it, very soon,” echoed with confidence and determination, affirming that the sub-14 barrier is well within her grasp.
What stood out just as much as her speed, however, was her sportsmanship. After crossing the finish line, Chebet waited at the track to personally congratulate her fellow runners, a gesture that underlined her humility and team spirit.
“I have to congratulate each and every one of them because although we are competing in the same competition, we are teammates as well,” she said. “We have prepared and trained together. Without them, I could not have achieved what I have achieved here today.”
Chebet's rise in the global athletics scene has been rapid, and her recent form indicates that history may soon be rewritten. Her 14:03.69 finish is now one of the fastest times in the history of women’s 5000m races, and with the Paris Olympics around the corner, she remains a strong contender not just for medals, but for immortality.
The current world record, 14:00.21, set by Ethiopia’s Gudaf Tsegay in 2023, is under serious threat. And if Chebet’s words and form are anything to go by, the athletics world should brace itself — the sub-14 barrier might not stand much longer.
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