The highly anticipated Cursa Dels Nassos 5k race in Barcelona was slated to end the 2023 season on a thrilling note.
Headlining the event was the defending world cross-country champion, Beatrice Chebet, who was coming in with her eyes on the 5k world record.
The 23-year-old from Kenya came in with her compatriot Lilian Kasait as the pair attempted to dethrone Ethiopia’s Senebere Teferi of her current 5k record of 14:29.
Kasait strategically took the lead in the race from the start, with Chebet in her slipstream to allow her to save some energy.
Chebet stayed protected by her compatriot for the first two kilometers before a surge of pace left her compatriot behind.
Chebet, alongside two competitors, continued to maintain a strong pace into the final kilometer.
With 800m to go, Chebet had a surge of pace that none of her competitors could match and began to pull into the finishing meters alone.
Achieving what she came here to do, Chebet shattered Teferi’s 5k record as she crossed the line in 14:13, setting a new world record.
Notably, the top four times were all under Teferi’s former world record.
- Beatrice Chebet (KEN) 14:13
- Ejgayehu Taye Haylu (ETH) 14:21
- Lilian Kasait (KEN) 14:25
- Joy Cheptoyek (UGA) 14:27
Chebet has had a consistent year running road 5k’s. Earlier this year, at the inaugural World Road Running Championships in Riga, Latvia, she claimed gold after running 14:35, with her compatriot Kasait coming in behind her in 14:39.
It should be noted that Chebet’s record will remain an unofficial record until it is ratified by World Athletics.
In the men’s race, Dominic Lobalu claimed victory after crossing the line in 13:12.
Lobalu, who represents On Running, is a South Sudanese-born refugee who currently lives and trains in Switzerland. In September 2023, Lobalu became eligible to represent Switzerland in international competitions.
He currently holds a number of national records for Sudan despite not being able to live there.
Rounding out the men’s podium were Mathew Kipkoech Kipruto and Abdessamad Oukhelfen, crossing the line in 13:18 and 13:27, respectively.
