Uganda’s World 5000m record-holder and World 10,000m champion, Joshua Cheptagei, said on Tuesday he would attempt to break the world record at the Turia Stadium in Valencia, Spain on October 7.
The 24-year-old Cheptegei broke the 5000m world record that had stood for 16 years in August and back in February he smashed the world 5km road record in Monaco.
“With the look of things now, with COVID-19 you cannot win a medal, you cannot race in a championship this year so the best is to try to break the world record,” he said at the pre-meet press conference on Tuesday.
[perfectpullquote align=”full” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””] “People never believed I could come close to the 5,000 metres world record. Now I have it. [/perfectpullquote]
“COVID presented an opportunity — I needed to run faster so the next goal is to try and break the 10,000 metres world record.
“There is nothing better than to try these crazy things this year.”
Cheptegei will be trying to break the 26:17.53 mark set by Kenenisa Bekele in Brussels 15 years ago which is the longest standing men’s 10,000m world record in history.
His ambition looks ambitious since his personal best is 26:48.36 which he run in Doha, but he will be utilizing world-class pace making support as well as the innovative Wavelight technology.
Information from World Athletics indicates that Dutchman Roy Hoornweg will be the first pacemaker and he is expected to cover the opening 1500 metres in 3:55 before Australia’s Matthew Ramsden takes command.
Ramsden duties include bringing the leaders through 3000 metres in 7:52 before handing the virtual pacing baton to Kenyan Nicolas Kimeli who is targeting 13:05 at 5000 metres.
Cheptegei has backing from Ethiopia legend Haile Gebrselassie who believes that the young Ugandan runner has a capacity to breaking the 26 minutes.
“He really is a superstar. He’s a gifted athlete, and simply, he’s the best,” Gebrselassie said in an interview with race organizers.
“I’ve seen it – not just his 5000 metres in Monaco. Compared to the time he ran in the 5000, the 10,000 is not that hard. I worry that if he runs under 26 minutes it will be very difficult for others to break it.”
