KEJELCHA threatens world 5km record in Lille

Ethiopia’s Yomif Kejelcha crept even closer to the world 5km record in Lille on Sunday (19), clocking 12:50 in the French city. The two-time world indoor champion came close to Berihu Aregawi’s world record of 12:49 in Herzogenaurach last year, setting a PB of 12:53. One year on from that, Kejelcha took another crack at the mark and fell just one second shy of the record, but was still rewarded with a PB. Compatriots Telahun Haile Bekele and Yasin Haji, as well as Kenya’s Jacob Krop, ran alongside Kejelcha as they passed through the first kilometre in 2:32. But Kejelcha soon started to make an early break, and by the time he reached 3km in 7:40, he had a seven-second lead over Bekele, Tesfaye Kidanu and world U20 1500m champion Reynold Kipkorir. Kejelcha continued to pull away in the final two kilometres in a bid to finish inside the existing world record, but he stopped the clock at 12:50. Nevertheless, he now moves up to second on the world all-time list – one place above Joshua Cheptegei – after winning the race by 14 seconds.

Kipkorir finished second in 13:04 from Bekele (13:07).

The women’s race was even closer with Caroline Nyaga just getting the better of world steeplechase bronze medalist Mekides Abebe at the finish, both athletes clocking 14:35.

In other races in Lille, Gemechu Dida won the men’s half marathon in a tight race with Emmanuel Kiprop, 27:12 to 27:13. The women’s race was similarly close as Dorcas Kimeli finished two seconds ahead of fellow Kenyan Mercyline Cherono in 30:48.