Fast Times Run at 10K Valencia Ibercaja

By Adam Kopet

Rhonex Kipruto of Kenya broke the road 10K world record Sunday at the 10K Valencia Ibercaja, running 26:24.

RESULTS

This is the second road 10K world record Valencia has played host to as Joshua Cheptegei of Uganda broke the world record there six weeks ago.

Kipruto put himself on world record pace from the start, completing the first 5K in 13:18. That is also eligible for the road 5K world record.

However, the starting pace was only a preview of what was still to come. Kipruto improved his pace over the second half of the race to take 14 seconds off Cheptegei's record.

Kenya's Bernard Kimeli and Switzerland's Julien Wanders stuck with Kipruto early in the race, but could not keep up much past 3 kilometers. Kimeli finished in 27:12 with Wanders finishing third in 27:13.

The women's race saw a near world record as the winning time for Kenya's Sheila Chepkirui was originally reported at 29:42. That would have taken one second off the world record held by Joyciline Jepkosgei.

However, after the initial excitement, a timing error was found in the women's times. Chepkirui's time was later confirmed as 29:46. That meant no world record, but it did make her the second-fastest woman of all-time.

Two other women, both of Kenya, also dipped under the impressive 30-minute barrier. Rosemary Wanjiru and Norah Jeruto finished second and third, respectively, both timed in 29:51. They stand third on the all-time list.