Millions Beatrice Chebet Will Earn After Breaking 5000m World Record

Kenya’s Beatrice Chebet etched her name into athletics history with a jaw-dropping performance at the 50th Prefontaine Classic, becoming the first woman ever to run the 5000m in under 14 minutes.

Chebet clocked 13:58.06 to smash the previous world record of 14:00.21, set by Ethiopia’s Gudaf Tsegay.

The 5000m and 10,000m Olympic champion delivered a perfectly timed race, surging past her rivals with a blistering final lap that left Tsegay and fellow Kenyan Agnes Jebet trailing.

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Jebet finished second with a personal best of 14:01.29, while Tsegay, the former world record holder, crossed third in 14:04.41.

“I came to Eugene with one goal, to make history,” Chebet said after the race.

“I knew I had the strength and the confidence. Faith Kipyegon’s performance earlier inspired me to go for it. Today, everything aligned.”

The historic feat came during the 50th anniversary of the prestigious Prefontaine Classic, part of the Eugene Diamond League series.

Chebet’s sub-14-minute barrier not only rewrote the record books but also elevated her status as one of the all-time greats in distance running.

Chebet’s performance earned her $60,000 (approximately KSh 7.6 million), thanks to the Diamond League’s prize structure of $10,000 for winning and a $50,000 bonus for breaking a world record.

The record adds to an already stellar season for Chebet, who has been building momentum ahead of the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo.