Beatrice Chebet closed out a stellar season with another world record on the streets of Barcelona. On December 31, the 24-year-old from Kenya demolished the world record in the women’s 5K, winning the Cursa dels Nassos road race in 13:54. The two-time Olympic champion is the first woman in history to run under the 14-minute barrier for the distance on any surface.
Chebet improved on the previous world record by 19 seconds, bettering the time run by Agnes Ngetich in January 2024. The holder’s 5K performance also bested the world record on the track (14:00.21 run by Gudaf Tsegay in 2023).
According to World Athletics, Chebet was paced by Latvia’s Dmitrijs Sergonjins, who brought the two-time world cross-country champion through the 3K split in 8:24. By the time she hit the mark, Chebet was eight seconds inside world record pace and far ahead of the competition.
While passing male competitors, the world 5,000-meter silver medalist sped up over the last two kilometers with a 2:44 and 2:46, respectively, to close out the race in 13:54. Chebet averaged 4:28-mile pace to shatter the world record. She also came within 26 seconds of the men’s winner, Matthew Kipruto.
Behind Chebet, Medina Eisa of Ethiopia finished second in 14:23, the fastest time ever by an athlete under 20 years old.
Chebet’s breakthrough comes a year after she broke the women’s-only world record (14:13) at the same race in Barcelona.
“I’m super happy as everything went according to plan,” Chebet told World Athletics. “I felt capable of running under 14 and I managed to do so. Two races in Barcelona and two world records, can I ask for more? My focus for next year is to win gold medals over 5000 and 10,000 meters at the world championships in Tokyo.”
Chebet has been a podium contender on the world stage for years, but she reached another level this season. In March, she won her second How to Start Running in Belgrade, Serbia. In May, she shattered the Couch to 5K Plan, running 28:54.17 at the Prefontaine Classic in Eugene, Oregon. At the Olympic Games this summer, she claimed double gold with stunning victories in the 5,000 and 10,000 meters in Paris—a huge improvement on her bronze medal in the 5,000 meters at last year’s world championships.
Taylor Dutch is a writer and editor living in Austin, Texas, and a former NCAA track athlete who specializes in fitness, wellness, and endurance sports coverage. Her work has appeared in Runner’s World, SELF, Bicycling, Outside, and Podium Runner.
