Kenyan Jepkosgei breaks women’s 10k road record

Prague, Czech Republic | AFP | Kenya’s Joyciline Jepkosgei became the first woman ever to run 10 kilometres on the road in under half an hour after clocking 29min 43sec in Prague on Saturday.

The 23-year-old Kenyan, who set the world half marathon record in the Czech capital in April, beat her own record of 30min 04sec she had set during that race.

Joyciline Jepkosgei set the new 10K world record among women (29:43) at the Birell #PragueGrandPrix 2017 | #RunCzech #RunCzechRacing pic.twitter.com/VOgorSpBXX

— RunCzech (@RunCzech) September 9, 2017

Congratulations Joyciline Jepkosgei for breaking the world 10km record at the 2017 Birell Prague Grand Prix. You have done our country proud

— Uhuru Kenyatta (@UKenyatta) September 9, 2017

A NEW WORLD RECORD by Joyciline Jepkosgei!! I predicted a world record for the women 10km road race; it happened about 30 minutes later!! pic.twitter.com/Gs5eLdf6UT

— Justin Lagat (@Kenyanathlete) September 9, 2017

“I’m so happy, I thank God for making me the winner today and… (breaking) the world record,” Jepkosgei told Czech Television.

“I was very confident and I was hoping for the best,” she added, after beating compatriot Fancy Chemutai and Kenyan-born Bahrain runner Violah Jepchumba in Prague’s historic centre.

Kenyans also dominated the men’s race, with Benard Kimeli taking the honours in 27min 10sec, beating his brother Matthew and fellow Kenyan Rhonex Kipruto.