Cheserek Smashes 5Km World Record, Wanjiru Scorches Cherry Blossom Course
8th April 2019
Kenyan pair continue outstanding weekend in distance running in the United States
- He blitzed through the first two kilometres in 5:04 and had Craig Nowak for company, but despite forging ahead and opening up a 20-second gap on the rest of the field over the next two kilometres, the pace dropped slightly and he passed through the four-kilometre mark in 10:41
- Wanders’ 13:29 clocking in February was the first performance to fulfil all of the criteria needed for a world record and his mark was ratified last month, along with Sifan Hassan’s 14:44 clocking from the women’s race in Monaco
MONACO, Principality of Monaco- Edward Cheserek equalled the world 5km record of 13:29 at the Carlsbad 5000 as Rosemary Wanjiru won the Credit Union Cherry Blossom Ten Mile Run with 50:42, breaking the long-standing course record set 21 years ago by Colleen De Reuc.
Cheserek, the multiple National Collegiate Athletics Association champion was an emphatic winner.
He blitzed through the first two kilometres in 5:04 and had Craig Nowak for company, but despite forging ahead and opening up a 20-second gap on the rest of the field over the next two kilometres, the pace dropped slightly and he passed through the four-kilometre mark in 10:41.
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Needing a final kilometre of 2:48 to equal the ratified world record set by Julien Wanders in Monaco earlier this year, Cheserek achieved his target and crossed the line in 13:29, taking nine seconds off his PB in the process. Fellow Kenyan David Bett was a distant runner-up in 13:54.
Sharon Lokedi won the women’s race to complete a Kenyan double. Part of a large pack in the early stages, she broke away in the second half to win in 15:48. Britain’s Charlotte Arter was second in 16:01.
There have been several quicker times recorded over 5km on the roads, but the event only became an official world record discipline last year.
Ramifications procedure
Wanders’ 13:29 clocking in February was the first performance to fulfil all of the criteria needed for a world record and his mark was ratified last month, along with Sifan Hassan’s 14:44 clocking from the women’s race in Monaco.
His world record is still subject to the usual ratification procedures of the IAAF.
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Wanjiru's winning time is also the best mark ever achieved on a record-eligible course in a women-only race.
The 2015 African Games 5000m silver medallist, sped through the first five kilometres in 15:50 and 10 kilometres in 31:12 and had Ethiopia’s 2011 world U18 3000m champion Gotytom Gebreslase on her shoulder.
The pair were still side by side at 15 kilometres, reached in 47:13, but Wanjiru managed to edge ahead in the closing stages to win in 50:42.
Gebreslase finished second in 50:47, just one second shy of the Ethiopian record.
Kenya’s Margaret Muriuki was third in 51:38.
The men’s race was similarly close as Ethiopian half marathon record-holder Jemal Yimer held off a strong challenge from Kenya’s Josphat Tanui to win by two seconds in 45:36.
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