NAIROBI, Kenya, June 6, 2025 – Double Olympic champion Beatrice Chebet is now salivating for the 5000m world record after a scintillating victory at the Rome Diamond League on Friday night.
Chebet believes it is only a matter of time before she runs a sub-14.
“I want that world record…I believe I can do it. It is only a matter of when and not if I can do it. I came here planning to run 14:15, yet I managed to run a 14:05,” the double world record holder.
The 25-year-old continued her dominant showing in 2025, clocking an eye-catching 14:03.69 to win the women’s 5000m — three seconds slower than the current world record by Ethiopian Gudaf Tsegay.
Meanwhile, Ethiopia’s Hailu Freweyni took second place in a personal best of 14:19.33 as Italian Nadia Battocletti clocked a national record of 14:23.15 to claim the final podium place.
It came only less than a fortnight after she came painfully close to smashing the world record for the women’s 3000m at the fourth leg of the Diamond League in Doha.
On that occasion, the World Cross Country champion clocked 8:11.56 on her way to victory – six seconds slower than the current world record of 8:06.11 set by China’s Wang Junxia in 1993.
Reflecting on Friday night, Chebet admitted it was a fast field, which also comprised world record holder Tsegay.
“I can say I also helped the others to achieve their personal bests and national records today. It helped a lot. I just have to congratulate the others as well because without them, it would not be possible to run that race,” she said.
Following her dominant run, Chebet leads the Diamond League standings for the women’s 5000m with 24 points, 11 ahead of Battocletti.
The sixth leg of the prestigious competition is set for June 12 in Oslo, Norway.
