During the NN Valencia World Record Day event slated for this Wednesday, October 7th at the Estadi Del Turia in Valencia the main attraction will be Ugandan star Joshua Cheptegei, who will be hoping to lower Kenenisa Bekele’s 15-year-old world 10,000m record of 26:17.53.
According to the Olympic Channel, the assigned 5km split time for the pacers has been set at 13 minutes, seven seconds, with the projected finish for Chetegei set at 26:15.
That’s over two seconds faster than Bekele’s record!
Cheptegei is buoyed for the meet and having smashed three records in a space of less than a year, the 25-year old is in the greatest shape of his life.
“I am in outstanding form” Cheptegei told the Olympic Channel.
Cheptegei’s previous heroics in Monaco has made him confident to go for the 10,000m record in Valencia.
“As my performance in Monaco showed I am in outstanding form, so I would like to make the most of my current shape by attacking the 10,000m world record,” said Cheptegei.
However, the 10,000m record won’t easily come by but the recent drills have kept Cheptegei positive.
“Kenenisa’s 10,000m world record is one of the toughest in the books, but my training has been good, and this gives me real confidence I can set another world record. I have many happy memories in Valencia having set the world 10km road record there last year,” Cheptegei added.
Bekele will be keenly follow Cheptegei’s attempt at breaking his record.
“I was delighted that the record went to Joshua, one of my NN Running teammates (in the 5,000m). He is an outstanding talent, who is clearly in great form and I wish him all the best in pursuit of the 10,000m world record in Valencia,” Bekele said.
Trinidad Alfonso Foundation and Nationale-Nederlanden Spain, part of the NN Group, both known for their involvement and support of running, partnered up to make this unique world record meeting possible.
Cheptegei Records:
For starters, in August this year, Cheptegei, 23, broke Kenenisa Bekele (Ethiopia) record by about two seconds with a winning time of 12 minutes 35.36 seconds to claim a career third world title. Bekele’s winning time was 12:37.35 at the Monaco Diamond League.
In February this year, Cheptegei broke the 5km road world record still in Monaco. This was his second world record.
His maiden world record was when he won the 10,000m world title in Doha last year.
