Ugandan Joshua Cheptegei (24 years old) and Ethiopian Letesenbet Gidey (22 years old) made athletic history by seizing the world records in the men's 10,000m and the women's 5,000m respectively in Valencia ( Spain) on Wednesday October 7, 2020.
10,000m world champion Joshua Cheptegei is living an exceptional 2020. After seizing the world record in the 5,000m on August 14 in Monaco in 12'35''36, the Ugandan once again erased the Ethiopian Kenenisa Bekele from the shelves by stealing the 10,000m from him, brought to the incredible time of 26'11''00. Bekele had managed 26'17''53 in 2005 in Brussels.
Cheptegei has confirmed his status as the best long-distance runner of the moment, he who simply aspires to be the best of all time.
“I met everyone's expectations, and I made my dream come true,” slipped the Ugandan shortly after his feat. We're here to write history, and show that athletics is always exciting. You had to give everything. The current situation is difficult for everyone, but these kinds of feats can bring joy to people. "
Previously, the Ethiopian Letensebet Gidey had distinguished herself in a very good way by passing from life to death the world record of the 5,000 m of her compatriot Tirunesh Dibaba, established in 2008 in 14'11''15, with a stopwatch staggering 14'06''62.
The Ethiopian vice-champion of the world in the 10,000m had announced in recent days that she was going to do it, and she did!
The performances of these two new legends prove that the future of athletics is in Africa.