© Copyright – 2021 – Athletics Illustrated
As it is highly unlikely, due to several factors, that Beth Potter’s world’s fastest 5k run will be ratified, the best move she can make is to attempt to repeat the performance. Quiet the doubters.
She ran 14:41 in Barrowford, UK on Sunday. This is faster than the current world record by Beatrice Chepkoech of Kenya. Her 14:43 performance was just ratified on Friday.
Although World Athletics cannot go by rumour, there is talk that the start area was moved from the already measured route. As there were no UK Athletics level four timers onsite as well as no drug-testing, her performance cannot qualify.
Beth Potter did a 3.5hr bike ride this morning to escape her constantly bleeping phone, but she then chatted to me about her spectacular Podium 5km run and why "proving the doubters wrong" put as much of a spring in her step as her new Asics shoes did. https://t.co/ekYsSFzIo4
— Jason Henderson (@Jason_AW) April 4, 2021
Potter was wearing the Asics Metaspeed Sky shoe that was released mid last week. It’s a great endorsement for the shoe as her performance was outstanding regardless.
Joyciline Jepkosgei ran faster on the way to finishing a 10K, with a 14:32 performance in Prague in 2017, which also does not count.
Potter competed for Great Britain in the 2016 Rio Olympics in the 10,000m event. Her personal best over 5K was 15:24 from the same race last year. Her best over 5000m is 15:28.32, and 10,000m pb is 32:03.45. She has also run a 32:05 in the 10K — all at nearly the same performance level.
Not only should she race another road 5K, to go after the record, but also a 5000m race so that she can qualify for the Tokyo Olympics in that event.
