Chebet eyeing World Record after Rome exploits
Reading Time: 2min | Sat. 07.06.25. | 08:22
The world mark of 14:00.21 was set two years ago by Gudaf Tsegay
Double Olympic champion Beatrice Chebet has declared herself ready to open a new era of sub-14 5000m runners after storming to the second-fastest women’s 5000m in history at the fifth Wanda Diamond League (DL) meeting of the season, in Rome on Friday, 6 June.
“I wanted to try and see how fast I can go when I push a lot,” she offered after her feat. “Soon, I am going for a time of under 14 minutes.”
Chebet has picked up from where she left off in 2024, a season that saw her conquer the world on multiple occasions, winning Olympic gold medals in the 5000m and 10,000m, breaking the 10-kilometre world record at the Wanda Diamond League meeting in Eugene, and securing her second Diamond Trophy at the series final in Brussels.
She kicked off her 2025 campaign with a 5000m 14:27.12 world lead in Xiamen, before heading to the African meet, Rabat DL, for the 3000m, where she ran 8:11.56 to move to second on the world 3000m all-time list.
The 25-year-old repeated the feat over 5000m on Friday, running a national record of 14:03.69 to miss the world record by just three seconds. She won the race by more than 15 seconds. Two-time world indoor champion Freweyni Hailu finished second in a personal best (PB) of 14:19.33, and Nadia Battocletti delighted the home crowd with an Italian record of 14:23.15 for third place.
“I just said, ‘let’s run my race today.’ I was planning to run 14:15, but I felt like my body was moving and I decided to go,” Chebet told World Athletics after the performance. “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.”
Beatrice Chebet with that incredible pace, the World record is indeed within reach.
— Lynne Wachira (@WachiraLynne) June 6, 2025
Only the current WR holder Gudaf Tsegay has run faster.
Her time of 14.03.69 is a National Record 🇰🇪 pic.twitter.com/3VUUeDKi2j
It was a race of record depth, with the top 14 all finishing under 14:50.
“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 the others as well, because without them, it would not be possible to run that race.”
