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World record runs by Joshua Cheptegei of Uganda in the 10,000-metres and Letesenbet Gidey of Ethiopia in the 5,000-mere event were officially ratified by World Athletics. World Athletics confirmed the ratification on Monday.
Both Cheptegei and Gidey achieved the records at the Valencia World Record Day at Turia Stadium on Oct. 7. Cheptegei finished clocked a 26:11.00 and Gidey won her race in the time of 14:06.62.
Cheptegei won the gold medal at the 2019 Doha World Athletics Championships.
Two months prior to Valencia, Cheptegei won the 5,000-metre race in the time of 12:35:36 in the Monaco Diamond League meet. With both performances he took down Ethiopian Kenenisa Bekele’s world records. Cheptegei also took the 5K road record.
Gidey, just 22-years-of-age ran 14:06.62 in Valencia. It is her best performance across all distances. She does, however, own impressive 3,000m and 10,000m times having run 8:20.27 in June of 2019 in Palo Alto, CA. Her 30:21.23 was in Doha at last year’s World Championships. She is a national champion at the distance.
