Uganda runner sets new 5000m world record

via SAMAA

Uganda’s Joshua Cheptegei has set a stunning new 5000m world record at the season-opening Monaco Diamond League meet on Friday.

The world 10,000m champion clocked 12min 35.36sec at the Stade Louis II to shatter Ethiopian Kenenisa Bekele’s previous best of 12:37.35, set in 2004.

“I’ve tried to improve on my speed,” said smiling Cheptegei when asked what he had been working on since his gold medal showing in Doha in September.

The Ugandan finished ahead of Kenyan duo Nicholas Kipkorir Kimeli and Jacob Krop at a Stade Louis II limited to 5,000 spectators because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

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