Peerless Chebet continues her world record campaign after shining in Rome

Track sensation Beatrice Chebet continues to reinforce her campaign to smash a world record this season.

The 10000m world record holder ran the second-fastest time in history once again at the Rome Diamond League on Friday night after another historic performance at the Rabat meet on May 25.

In Rome, Chebet—a double Olympic champion stamped authority in the 5000m and produced another second-fastest time ever in the 3000m in Rabat, Morocco.

After replaying another script in Rome, Italy, Chebet reaffirmed her push for another record.

The women's 5000m contest kicked off with huge ="https://www.standardmedia.co.ke/article/2001520966/chebet-and-tsegay-renew-rivalry-in-rome?utm_cmp_rs=amp-next-page">expectations of a thriller< as Chebet took on the event world record holder Gudaf Tsegay of Ethiopia.

Chebet, a two-time world cross-country champion, timed 14:03.69, missing the world record by 2.5 seconds and, in the process, recording the Rome Diamond meet record.

Ethiopian Freweyni Hailu came in second in 14:19.33, while Nadia Battocletti of Italy clocked 14:23.15 for the third place.

Tsegay, with her world record of 14:00.21 set in Eugene in 2023, who is the fastest in the distance, finished fifth in 14:24.86 on Friday night.

Chebet—who before Friday evening was third place in the all-time list with the 14:05.92 she ran to finish runner-up to Tsegay in that race in Eugene, jumped ahead of three-time Olympic champion Faith Kipyegon, the former world record-holder (14:05.20), with the latest show.

“Soon, I am going for a time under 14 (minutes)," Chebet promised after the win in Rome," said Chebet.

“I see that my body is in good shape, and I am capable of the world record, so now I am going home and will prepare for it. Everything is possible – if I get someone who will push me up to 3000m, it is possible.”

Chebet followed closely as the pacemakers ran right on the planned meeting record (14:12.59) pace – reaching 1000m in 2:50.06 and 2000m in 5:41.45. 

She led a breakaway leading a group of five which passed 3000m in 8:32.20 –and she commanded the control before shaking off Tsegay.

Chebet then unleashed her kick with four laps to go and picked up the pace – running 2:46 for the fourth kilometre and 2:45 for the fifth.

“I can say I also helped the others to achieve their personal bests and national records today. It helped a lot. I have to congratulate others as well, because without them, it would not be possible to run that race,” said Chebet.

The men’s 1500m featured a strong field and saw 2019 world champion Timothy Cheruiyot made a big statement after finishing second in the Rome showdown in a race won by Azeddine Habz of France.

Habz ran 3:29.72 while Cheruiyot followed closely in 3:29.75 and Moroccan Anass Essayi closed the podium in 3:30.74. Habz launched an attack in the homestretch and denied Cheruiyot a win by just 0.03.

Africa's fastest 100m sprinter Ferdinand Omanyala came so close to the elusive 10.00 as he finished third in 10.01.

USA’s Trayvon Bromell sprinted to a world lead as he won the 100m clash in his fastest time since 2022. 

The 2016 world indoor 60m champion and two-time world 100m bronze medallist clocked 9.84 (1.1m/s) for a comfortable victory ahead of Cameroonian Emmanuel Eseme (9.99).