Beatrice Chebet of Kenya and Ethiopia's Gudaf Tsegay race to the finish line in the women's 5000m heats during the World Athletics Championships at the National Athletics Centre in Budapest on August 23, 2023.
In Oregon, USA
A battle is looming at the 50th edition of the Prefontaine Classic between double Olympics champion Beatrice Chebet and women’s 5,000m world record holder Ethiopia’s Gudaf Tsegay.
The highly anticipated meet will be held at the Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon in USA on July 5.
Athletics Kenya will use the meeting to select athletes who will represent the country in 5,000m and 10,000m at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, Japan on September 13-21.
Chebet,25, holds the women’s 10,000m world record that she set at Hayward Field last year. She lowered Letesenbet Gidey’s time of 29:01:03 with ablistering 28:54.14 becoming the first woman to break the 29-minute barrier over the distance.
Kenya’s Beatrice Chebet celebrates after winning the women's 5,000m race at Brussels Diamond League on September 14, 2024.
Chebet also holds the 5km road race world record with her time of 14:13 at the Cursa Dels Nassos in Barcelona, Spain on December 31, 2023.
She showed her form on June 6 by winning at the Rome Diamond League women’s 5,000m in 14:03.69, the fastest time this season, but more significantly, the second best time of all time by a woman over the distance.
She then let out that a world record was achievable.
Her mission at the Prefontaine is, of course to win and to also earn a place in Team Kenya for the World Championships.
But in the presence of the world record holder, the race is expected to explode in Eugene.
Ethiopia's Gudaf Tsegay celebrates with an Ethiopian flag after winning the women's 10,000m final during the World Athletics Championships at the National Athletics Centre in Budapest on August 19, 2023.
Tsegay broke the women’s 5,000m record on June 9, 2023 at the Paris Diamond League with a time of 14:00.21.
If there is anyone capable of lowering that time it is the Ethiopian and her Kenyan rival.
The Iten-based Chebet does not explicitly talk about a world record attempt.
In an earlier interview she only offered that she was intent on making the Kenyan team.
“My training has been good and I’m in good shape...we shall see how the race will unfold,” said Chebet.
Tsegay bagged a gold medal at the 2022 World Athletics Championships that was held at Eugene and will fancy holding her dominance there.
Also in the start list is Ethiopia's Medina Eisa ranked second in the world over 5,000m. She boasts a personal best of 14:16.54 over the distance, set at the London Diamond League meeting in 2023.
Then there is Ejgayehu Taye from Ethiopia who holds the third fastest time in the field of 14:12.98, also set at the 2022 Prefontaine Classic meet.
Last year’s winner Tgsigie Gebreselama of Ethiopia is also in the mix. She owns a personal best of 14:18.74 and will fancy her chances against the big girls.
