World record holder Agnes Jebet Ngetich is not shying away from stirring the pot ahead of the World Athletics Championships, as she looks to challenge Beatrice Chebet’s 5000m World Record when she lines up at the penultimate Diamond League leg in Brussels.

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While Ngetich became the first athlete to break 30 minutes in a women-only 10km race, clocking 29:27 at the Adizero Road To Records event in Herzogenaurach, Germany, back in April, the Double Olympic champion, Chebet, became the first woman in history to cover 5000m inside 14 minutes, clocking a World Record of 13:58.06 at the Prefontaine Classic in July.

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Seven weeks after running the third-fastest 5000m time in history, Ngetich is aiming to go more than three seconds faster than her 14:01.29 personal best (PB), and challenge the world mark set last month. Chebet holds the meeting record of 14:09.82 as well, one that her counterpart is expected to break.

Ngetich is joined on the field by former World U20 and world cross country champion Purity Chepkirui, who is racing her first 5000m of the season. She is coming off back-to-back second-place finishes in the 1500m in Slovakia and Belgium, where she clocked 4:05.17 and 4:05.63, respectively.

Also in the mix are Reigning Africa 10,000m champion Janeth Chepngetich and former African champion Caroline Nyaga.

Others in the field, including the USA’s Josette Andrews and Ethiopia’s Hirut Meshesha and Likina Amebaw, are all chasing more Diamond League points ahead of the final.

Women's 1500m

Elsewhere, Kenya’s Nelly Chepchirchir, who has won all of her races so far this year, will contest the 1500m, in which she will face world silver medalist Diribe Welteji, 2024 world indoor champion Freweyni Hailu, and US champion Nikki Hiltz.

Men's 1500m

Another Kenyan likely to turn heads is teenager Phanuel Koech, who has broken 3:30 in his past three races, lining up in the men’s 1500m, against Olympic bronze medalist Yared Nuguse, 2022 world champion Jake Wightman, Bowerman Mile winner Niels Laros, Portugal’s Isaac Nader, and compatriot Abel Kipsang.

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Koech has his work cut out, especially against Nuguse, one of several American athletes who are relying on Diamond League success to get them a last-minute ticket to the World Championships next month.

Nuguse can still head to Tokyo on a wild card if he qualifies for the final and then wins the title in the men’s 1500m in Zurich. He took a huge step towards doing so with a win in Silesia last weekend, and Brussels is the next big stepping stone.

Men’s 3000m steeplechase

And in the men’s 3000m steeplechase, as well, the leading Kenyan duo of Abraham Kibiwot and Simon Koech will take on Ethiopia’s Getnet Wale.

Meanwhile, Ferdinand Omanyala will also be in action, taking on, among others, South African Bayanda Walaza, as he hopes to get back to winning ways following his eighth-place finish at the Hungarian Athletics Grand Prix on 12 August.