The year of 2022 was a busy one in global competitions with the Eugene World Athletics Championships, Birmingham Commonwealth Games, and Munich European Championships all taking place in the summer. This is after a busy spring and summer track season, as usual, that includes the busy Diamond League schedule as well as many of the one-off meets and NCAA race. From the ashes several world records were attained.
The most jaw-dropping performances may have not come from the below-listed events from the Valencia Marathon on Dec. 6, where two near-world records were run by unsuspecting athletes. Ethiopian Amane Beriso won in the time of 2:14:58. Meanwhile 14 minutes prior Kenyan Kelvin Kiptum clocked 2:01:53. The world records are 2:14:04 by Brigid Kosgei of Kenya and Eliud Kipchoge at 2:01:09, from Berlin in Sept.
All world records need to be ratified by World Athletics.
Ratified
Women’s world 10K record (mixed race)
29:14 Yalemzerf Yehualaw (ETH) Castellon 27 February 2022
Men’s world U20 200m record
19.69 Erriyon Knighton (USA) Eugene 26 June 2022
Women’s world U20 indoor 60m hurdles record
7.92 Ackera Nugent (JAM) Fayetteville 13 March 2021
Men’s world 50K record
2:40:13 Stephen Mokoka (RSA) Gqeberha 6 March 2022
The women’s world 10K record of 29:14 set by 23-year-old Ethiopian Yalemzerf Yehualaw in Castellon, Spain at the 10K FACSA Castelló on February 27 has been ratified. The year prior she ran 30:20.77 at the Diamond League meet in Hengelo, Netherlands. Yalemzerf also owns the Great Ethiopian Run record with her time of 31:17 — the fastest 10K record run at altitude.
“I knew I had the world record in my legs and wanted to produce a challenging performance for any athletes who may attempt the record in the near future,” she World Athletics.
The world U20 mark by Erriyon Knighton in the 200m has been formally approved. The 18-year-old Tampa, Florida native is reshaping the U20 record books. On the same track in Eugene, Oregon, Knighton ran 19.69 in June 2022 and 19.84 the year prior as a 17-year-old to take the U18 world record. At the Tokyo Olympic Games, Knighton became the youngest male to represent the US in track and field since Jim Ryun in 1964. The following year he earned a bronze medal at the Eugene World Athletics Championships. He may be the next Usain Bolt in the making.
Ackera Nugent’s 60m hurdles best is now an official world record. The Jamaican, who competes in the NCAA for Baylor University is a U20 World Champion in the 100m hurdles event. Nugent’s 7.92 is now the world U20 record.
Stephen Mokoka is a 37-year-old South African runner with a big range. He competes in middle distances and up to the 50K road distance. In 2019, he competed in the men’s marathon at the 2019 World Athletics Championships held in Doha, Qatar. He finished in 5th place.
Who knows what 2023 will bring in terms of jaw-dropping performances and world records, but 2023 may turn out to be a banner year as there are fewer global championships, therefore more opportunities to run for time, rather than racing head to head.
Read more at World Athletics
