Kipyegon Queens Kipyegon & Chebet Shatter World Records at Prefontaine Classic
Published July 6, 2025
A Historic Day in Eugene
On July 5, 2025, at Eugene’s sold‑out Hayward Field during the 50th Prefontaine Classic—part of the Wanda Diamond League—Kenyan stars delivered a historic performance.1 Faith Kipyegon smashed her own 1500m world record with an astonishing time of 3:48.68, while Beatrice Chebet became the first woman ever to break the 14-minute barrier in the 5000m, clocking 13:58.06.2
Faith Kipyegon: Middle-Distance Majesty
The 31-year-old Olympic champion shattered her own 1500m record—previously 3:49.04—finishing at **3:48.68**, with a blistering final lap of 59.02 seconds Diribe Welteji (ETH) took silver in 3:51.44, and Australia’s Jessica Hull claimed bronze.
Reflecting on her run, Kipyegon said, “To be honest, the ladies are pushing me … I’m happy that when I break a world record, they’re also running very fast… to motivate the younger generation.”
This performance came just nine days after her near-miss at the 4-minute mile in Paris (4:06.42, not officially ratified), which she credits for building the strength and belief to return stronger in Eugene.
With three consecutive World Championship titles and a 1500m Olympic gold, Kipyegon’s dominance continues to evolve—and her record now stands more than a second faster than any previous mark.
Beatrice Chebet: Breaking Boundaries in the 5000m
Just 80 minutes earlier, 25-year-old Beatrice Chebet etched her name into the history books. She clocked **13:58.06**, becoming the first woman ever to dip under 14 minutes in the 5000m. This topped Ethiopian Gudaf Tsegay’s previous record of 14:00.21 from Eugene in 2023.
Kenya’s Agnes Jebet Ngetich followed in second (14:01.29) and Tsegay secured third with 14:04.41.
Chebet—already Olympic champion in the 5000m and 10,000m, and record setter in the 10,000m (<28:54.14) at Prefontaine 2024—said, “I came prepared to run a world record… I’m so happy.
Diamond League Showcase at Hayward Field
The Prefontaine Classic drew a star-studded field with 17 Olympic champions and 14 world-record holders. Performances included:
- Melissa Jefferson-Wooden winning the women’s 100m in 10.75s—impressively fast into a headwind.
- Jamaica’s Kishane Thompson running 9.85s to claim the men’s 100m
- Dutch runner Niels Laros narrowly winning the Bowerman Mile in 3:45.94.
- Olympic 400m hurdles star Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone taking the flat 400m in 49.43s
Why These Records Matter
Both records merit historical significance:
- Kipyegon17
- Chebet7:
These landmark achievements reinforce Kenya’s ongoing dominance and inspire a new generation of athletes worldwide. Looking Ahead: Monaco, London, Zurich & Tokyo The Diamond League heads next to Monaco, then to a sold‑out London meet on July 19, and to Zurich for the season finale on Aug 27–28—just ahead of the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo. Kipyegon and Chebet are poised as top contenders in their respective events
This post by africa.cgtn.com
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