Ugandan runner smashes 10,000-metre track world record

KAMPALA, Oct. 8  — Ugandan long-distance runner Joshua Cheptegei broke the men’s 10,000-metre world record late Wednesday at an event in Valencia, Spain, reported Anadolu Agency.

The 24-year-old achieved the milestone at the specially-organized NN Valencia World Record Day.

Cheptegei set a new world record of 26 minutes 11.02 seconds, beating the previous record set by Ethiopian long-distance runner Kenenisa Bekele on Aug. 26, 2005 of 26:17:53 in the Belgian capital Brussels.

This year alone, Cheptegei has broken three world records, including for the 5,000m on Aug. 14 and the 5-kilometre road world record in Monaco in February.

Ugandans celebrated his success in the streets of the capital Kampala.

Ugandan president Yoweri Museveni and other senior government officials sent congratulatory messages to Cheptegei.

—BERNAMA