Uganda’s Joshua Cheptegei sets men’s 5,000 world record at Monaco track meet

MONACO | AFRICATEMBELEA | Joshua Cheptegei of Uganda broke a 16-year-old world record in winning the men’s 5,000 meters at the season-opening Monaco Diamond League meet on Friday.

The world 10,000m champion clocked 12min 35.36sec at the Stade Louis II to shatter Ethiopian Kenenisa Bekele’s previous best of 12:37.35, set in 2004.

He finished ahead of Kenyan duo Nicholas Kipkorir Kimeli and Jacob.

It was the standout performance of a stellar night in the Diamond League meeting, which was the first full international gathering of the track and field season limited to 5,000 spectators because of the COVID-19 pandemic.