Agnes Ngetich of Kenya shattered the women-only world 10km record at the Transylvania 10km race in Romania. The 22-year-old finished with a time of 29:24, beating the previous record set by the late Agnes Tirop in 2021. Ngetich dominated the race, taking an early lead and finishing with a comfortable margin ahead of her compatriot Catherine Reline.
Ngetich’s impressive performance began right from the start, as she covered the first 5km in 14:25, breaking the women-only world record for that distance. By the 6.5km mark, she had extended her lead, crossing it in 18:54. She continued to push the pace, passing 8.5km in 24:56. Finally, she crossed the finish line in 29:24, setting a new women-only world record for the 10km race.
Not only did Ngetich break the women-only record, but her time also ranks as the third-fastest ever recorded by a woman in history. She stands behind Yalemzerf Yehualaw’s 29:14 and 29:19 performances in separate races. Ngetich expressed her surprise at achieving a world record, as she initially aimed for a personal best and a course record.
The men’s race was won by Weldon Langat, completing a Kenyan double at the Transylvania 10km. The race saw a tightly contested start, with a group of seven athletes passing 5km in 13:30. Kenya’s Amos Kurgat and Dennis Kibet took the lead in the sixth kilometer, with Langat closely behind. Langat made a decisive move in the final kilometer and finished in 27:05 to secure victory.
Additionally, the Brasov Running Festival featured elite mile races. Emine Hatun Mechaal of Turkey claimed the women’s title with a national record time of 4:41.7, while Robin van Riel of the Netherlands won the men’s race in a national record of 4:05.5. This event sets the stage for further elite mile action in Riga next month, as part of the World Athletics Road Running Championships.