HERZOGENAURACH, Germany – Kenyan Agnes Ngetich rewrote the record books with a storming solo effort in Herzogenaurach on Saturday, becoming the first woman to dip under the 30-minute barrier in a women-only 10km road race.
Ngetich, 24, stopped the clock at an astonishing 29 minutes and 27 seconds at the Adizero Road To Records event, taking a hatchet to the previous mark of 30:01 set by the late Agnes Tirop in 2021. Already the holder of the mixed-race world record (28:46), the Kenyan’s latest masterpiece puts her alone atop the all-time lists once again.
There was no mistaking her intent from the gun. By the five-minute mark, she had already burned away from the pack, running clear as if pursued by shadows rather than competitors. The clock ticked 14:37 as she ripped through halfway—well under world record pace and showing no signs of slowing.
“I’m so excited, I didn’t expect this,” she said. “Last year I missed it by two seconds, so I wanted to come here today and try for it again. I’m so proud of myself. After missing out on the Olympics last year, I want to make up for it this year at the World Championships.”
While the early pace bordered on audacious, Ngetich managed her effort with the cool precision of a seasoned tactician. Her rhythm barely faltered, holding strong at just under three minutes per kilometre even as the second half dragged into its deepest, loneliest stages. She covered the back five kilometres in 14:50—slower than the opening split, but more than enough to keep her well clear.
The result was a winning margin of over a minute, though that barely seemed to matter. This was a race against the clock, and Ngetich crushed it.
Saturday’s outing serves as both a personal redemption and a global statement. After missing out on Tokyo 2020, Ngetich now eyes the 2025 World Championships with renewed fire—and a new line in the record books to prove she belongs on the sport’s biggest stages.
Full report
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STATS
• Agnes Jebet Ngetich profile
• world 10km all-time list
• world 10km record (women-only) progression
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