Kenyan long-distance runner Agnes Ngetich smashed the 10-kilometer world record in Herzogenaurach, Germany, on Saturday, becoming the first woman to run the distance in under 30 minutes in a women-only race.
Ngetich, 24, clocked a time of 29 minutes, 27 seconds, breaking the late Agnes Jebet Tirop’s record of 30:01 set in the same German town in 2021.
“I’m so excited. I didn’t expect this,” Ngetich said. “Last year I missed it by two seconds, so I wanted to come here today and try for it again. I’m so proud of myself. After missing out on the Olympics last year, I want to make up for it this year at the world championships.”
Ngetich had clocked a time of 29:24 in 2023 in a women-only 10-kilometer race, but the record was not ratified because the course was found to be short by 25 meters.
Last year, Ngetich broke the 10-kilometer world record for a mixed race in Valencia, Spain, becoming the first woman to run the distance in under 29 minutes. She recorded a time of 28:46, breaking Yalemzerf Yehualaw’s mark.
