Joshua Cheptegei smashed Kenenisa Bekele's 15-year-old men’s 10,000m world record by more than six seconds in Valencia.
The 24-year-old Uganda star turned in a stunning time of 26 minutes 11.00 seconds, to shatter Bekele’s best – which had been the longest-standing 10,000m world record in history.
Cheptegei’s latest record-breaking feat is his fourth world record in just 10 months.
He won the gold medal in the 10,000m at last year's World Championships in Doha, and in August took Bekele’s 5,000m record at the Diamond League meeting in Monaco.
Last December, also in Valencia, Cheptegei smashed a decade-long record in the 10km road race by six seconds.
Only 400 people including sponsors, journalists and staff were allowed into the event due to strict coronavirus measures in Spain, but Cheptegei still savoured the moment with a lap of honour, wrapped in the Uganda flag and wearing a crown.
Ethiopia’s Letesenbet Gidey broke the women’s 5,000m record too, in exceptional style on an eventful night in Spain.
The 22-year-old Gidey clocked 14 minutes 6.62 seconds, moving well past Tirunesh Didaba’s 14 minutes 11.15 seconds best from 2008.
