Agnes Ngetich became the first athlete to break 30 minutes in a women-only 10km, smashing through that barrier with 29:27 at the Adizero Road To Records event in Herzogenaurach on Saturday, April 26, 2025.
The 24-year-old Kenyan, who already held the world record for 10km in a mixed race (28:46), was in dominant form, winning by more than a minute. After just five minutes, she had already stretched out the field and started to open up a comfortable lead.
Following her swift opening pace for the first two kilometres, Ngetich settled into a 2:57/km rhythm for the next three kilometres, reaching half way in 14:37 and putting her well on course to break the world record of 30:01 held by the late Agnes Jebet Tirop.
Ngetich’s pace dropped slightly in the second half, but she still managed to cover each remaining kilometre inside 3:00. Now well ahead of her nearest opponents, Ngetich charged through the finish line in 29:27, having covered the second half in 14:50.
“I’m so excited, I didn’t expect this,” she said. “Last year I missed it by two seconds, so I wanted to come here today and try for it again. I’m so proud of myself. After missing out on the Olympics last year, I want to make up for it this year at the World Championships.”
Elsewhere in Herzogenaurach, Olympic 800m champion Emmanuel Wanyonyi produced a storming finish in the men’s mile to beat a high-quality field in a Kenyan record of 3:52.45, putting him third on the world all-time list. World road mile champion Hobbs Kessler was second in a PB of 3:54.34, just ahead of US compatriot Nico Young (3:54.50).
Yomif Kejelcha came within five seconds of the world record to win the men’s 5km in 12:54. The Ethiopian, who had won the 5km here in 2022 and 2024, was just one second shy of his race record, but still a convincing winner, finishing nine seconds ahead of Andrew Alamisi.
Fellow Ethiopian Medina Eisa also notched up her third 5km victory in Herzogenaurach, taking the women’s race in 14:48 in a close finish from compatriots Fotyen Tesfay (14:50) and Gela Hambese (14:51).
There was another repeat winner in the women’s mile as Nelly Chepchirchir successfully defended her title in 4:23. The Kenyan, who finished just outside of the medals in this event at the 2023 World Road Running Championships, took seven seconds off the PB she set here last year.
The men’s 10km was the closest race of the day. Four men were in contention as they entered the final kilometre, and they continued to run neck-and-neck with less than a minute to go. Bahrain’s Birhanu Balew started kicking before turning into the finishing straight and he managed to carve out a lead of a few metres, crossing the finish line just ahead of Ethiopia’s Gemechu Dida Diriba and Bahrain’s Rodrigue Kwizera, all three men being given the same finishing time (26:54). Kenya’s Nicholas Kipkorir Kimeli was just behind in fourth in 26:56.
Leading results
WOMEN
Mile
1 Nelly Chepchirchir (KEN) 4:23.98
2 Hawi Abera Kumsa (ETH) 4:25.62
3 Addison Wiley (USA) 4:30.90
4 Birtukan Degu Shiferaw (ETH) 4:36.00
5 Taryn Rawlings (USA) 4:40.09
5km
1 Medina Eisa (ETH) 14:48
2 Fotyen Tesfay (ETH) 14:50
3 Gela Hambese (ETH) 14:51
4 Janeth Chepngetich (KEN) 14:55
5 Loice Chekwemoi (UGA) 15:15
10km
1 Agnes Ngetich (KEN) 29:27
2 Fentaye Belayneh (ETH) 30:30
3 Senayet Getachew (ETH) 30:31
4 Girmawit Gebrzihair (ETH) 30:41
5 Alemaddis Eyayu (ETH) 31:15
MEN
Mile
1 Emmanuel Wanyonyi (KEN) 3:52.45
2 Hobbs Kessler (USA) 3:54.34
3 Nico Young (USA) 3:54.50
4 Phanuel Kipkosgei (KEN) 3:56.08
5 Collins Kibiwott Koech (KEN) 3:58.63
5km
1 Yomif Kejelcha (ETH) 12:54
2 Andrew Alamisi (KEN) 13:03
3 Thierry Ndikumwenayo (ESP) 13:08
4 Cornelius Kemboi (KEN) 13:11
5 Jacob Krop (KEN) 13:22
10km
1 Birhanu Balew (BRN) 26:54
2 Gemechu Dida Diriba (ETH) 26:54
3 Rodrigue Kwizera (BDI) 26:54
4 Nicholas Kipkorir Kimeli (KEN) 26:56
5 Vincent Kipkorir (KEN) 27:08
SOURCE: WORLD ATHLETICS
