Kenya’s Beatrice Chebet continued her impressive streak by running the second-fastest women’s 5000m time in history at the Golden Gala Pietro Mennea, the fifth Wanda Diamond League meeting of the season, held in Rome on Friday.
Just under two weeks after her performance in Rabat, which placed her second on the world 3000m all-time list, the 25-year-old replicated this feat in the 5000m, setting a national record of 14:03.69, narrowly missing the world record by three seconds.
Only Ethiopia’s Gudaf Tsegay, with her world record of 14:00.21 set in Eugene in 2023, has run faster. Previously ranked No.3 all-time with her 14:05.92 finish as runner-up to Tsegay in Eugene, Chebet has now surpassed her compatriot Faith Kipyegon, the former world record-holder (14:05.20), with this latest achievement.
Chebet won the race by more than 15 seconds. Two-time world indoor champion Freweyni Hailu secured second place with a personal best of 14:19.33, while Nadia Battocletti thrilled the home crowd by setting an Italian record of 14:23.15 for third place. Birke Haylom finished fourth in 14:24.20, and Tsegay came in fifth, clocking 14:24.86.
“I just said: ‘Let’s run my own race today.’ I was planning to run 14:15, but I felt like my body was moving and I decided to go,” said Chebet, the Olympic 5000m and 10,000m champion who already has two world records on her CV, in the 10,000m and road 5km.
“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 stayed close to the pacemakers, who were running at the planned pace of 14:12.59. They reached 1000m in 2:50.06 and 2000m in 5:41.45. At 3000m, which they passed in 8:32.20, Chebet led a group of five runners. She was in control. With four laps left, she sped up, running the fourth kilometre in 2:46 and the fifth in 2:45.
“Today, I wanted to try and see how fast I can go when I push a lot,” she added. “Soon, I am going for a time under 14.”
“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.”
The race was very competitive, with the top 14 runners finishing in under 14:50. In the men’s 1500m, Azeddine Habz and Timothy Cheruiyot led the race.
They pushed each other to achieve the two fastest 1500m times in the world this season. Cheruiyot, the 2019 world champion from Kenya, was slightly ahead as they approached the finish line.
However, Habz from France made a final push and won by just 0.03 seconds, with times of 3:29.72 and 3:29.75. Morocco’s Anass Essayi finished third with a lifetime best of 3:30.74.
Andrenette Knight from Jamaica won the women’s 400m hurdles in 53.67 secs ahead of Italy’s Ayomide Folorunso, who clocked 54.21. The men’s 400m race was very close. Olympic champion Quincy Hall and Zakithi Nene from South Africa raced neck and neck to the line with Hall edging it by just 0.01 secs in 44.22.
USA’s Trayvon Bromell sets a world-leading time in the men’s 100m. He clocked 9.84 (1.1m/s), his fastest time since 2022, to finish ahead of Emmanuel Eseme of Cameroon, who ran 9.99 secs. Bromell’s compatriot Anavia Battle won the women’s 200m in 22.53 (0.8m/s), beating Amy Hunt from Great Britain, who finished in 22.67 secs.
