Beatrice Chebet breaks the 10,000m WR
Conditions were good, with a slight wind but humidity and, for much of the race, the heat of the sun.
The 10,000m race was to be two races within one race, a WR attempt by Gudaf Tsegay, who had run a 5,000m WR at the 2023 NIKE Pre Classic. Gudaf had already run 3:50.30 at her opening outdoor race in Xiamen, China, on April 21, 2024.
The pace for the WR attempt was challenging: 70 seconds a lap, 2:54 for the 1,000m, to reach 29:01.03, set by Letensebet Gidey. Many thought Gudaf Tsegay could do it; they did not give Beatrice Chebet the script.
Gudaf Tsegay looked fantastic. Some did not notice that Beatrice Chebet was just behind her throughout the race.
Saron Berhe led the 1000m in 2:53.52, and the Ethiopian also led at 2,000m in 5:48.07. The entire field was in a straight line. What was fascinating for me was that Beatrice Chebet, the two-time World Cross Country Champ, was right on the shoulder of Gudaf Tsegay, the current world record holder at 5,000 meters.
This race was set up for Tsegay, and the Ethiopians played a huge part in the race development.
Mekedes Alemeshete led the 3,000m mark in 8:42.19.
At the 4,000m mark, Gudaf Tsegay took the lead with Beatrice Chebet on her shoulder, hitting 4k in 11:37.39.
And by this time, the lead pack was down to five.
Tsegay completed the 5,000m in 14:31.08, right on pace, with Chebet there and the rest of the pack falling back.
This had been a war of attrition from the first kilometer. Remember how I said this was the Kenyan Trials and a World record attempt. It was also a dress rehearsal between Ethiopians and Kenyans for the Paris 10,000m, except that Paris will probably be twenty degrees hotter!
The 10,000m is a classic race. It involves 25 laps around a 400-meter track and is sometimes described as a moving chess game.
This writer ran a couple dozen 10,000m races on the track. A few things about the 10,000m. First, you know when you are running a bad race, from early on, and you also know when. You are running a good one.
Gudaf Tsegay and Beatrice Chebet were running great races!
Tsegay had run 29:29.73, and Beatrice had run 33:29.70 (at altitude).
A little bit on both athletes.
Gudaf Tsegay is the world champion at 10,000m and has run 3:50.30 for 1,500m and 14:00.54 for 5,000m. She is a racing animal.
Beatrice Chebet has won two straight World Cross Country…
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