Homeboy Joshua Cheptegei has today, Friday 14th August 2020 broken one of the longest standing world records in track and field on after running 12:35.36 for 5000 meters in Monaco in the Diamond League. Ethiopia’s Kenesisa Bekele’s long-standing world record was 12:37.35 and was set in 2004.
Cheptegei, whose eyes were set on the prize put up a most stellar performance maintaining a 60-second per 400 meter lap average for over three miles. The world champion ran 59.97 and 59.64 for his last two laps.
The 23 year old made his debut with the bigger boys in 2017 during the cross country world championships where he led for six miles before collapsing in the final mile. Last year, Cheptegei won the 10,000 meters at world championships.
Today’s meet was the first since the outbreak of the coronavirus and Cheptegei cruised to victory in front of thousands of fans socially distanced in the French stadium.
He has been congratulated by among others President Museveni who took to his Twitter to thank the champion for making the nation proud.
