Kenya's Jepkosgei, 23, smashes 10 km road world record in Prague

Kenya’s Joyciline Jepkosgei broke her own 10 km road world record in Prague on Saturday, becoming the first woman to run the distance under 30 minutes off the track.

The 23-year-old ran 29 minutes 43 seconds at the Birell Prague Grand Prix to eclipse her previous record of 30:04 set in the Czech capital in April. “I‘m so happy, I thank God for making me the winner today and… (breaking) the world record,” Jepkosgei told Czech Television.

The current women’s 10,000m world record is 29:17.45, a record which Ethiopia’s Almaz Ayana set at the 2016 Rio Olympics.

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

Track and road racing records are kept separately by the IAAF, the world’s governing body.

Jepkosgei has now broken five records this year, having set new marks for the 10km, 15km, 20km and half-marathon at the Sportisimo Prague Half Marathon on April 1.

REUTERS