- Beatrice Chebet is one of the favorites to win the 5000m race at the 2025 Prefontaine Classic.
- Chebet and other athletes particularly from Ethiopia and Kenya will be seeking to smash the 5000m world record of 14:00.21 that was set by Gudaf Tsegay in 2023.
- Chebet is the only Kenyan runner confirmed by the organizers of the event that is will be held in Eugene on July 5.
East African athletes led by Beatrice Chebet, Medina Eisa and Gudaf Tsegay are set to battle it out for supremacy in the 5000m race at the 2025 Prefontaine Classic.
Chebet, who started her track campaign with a bang at the Xiamen Diamond League a few weeks ago, is the only Kenyan confirmed for the event that will be staged on July 5 in Eugene, United States so far.
She is expected to face stiff competition from the Ethiopian contingent that has the reigning world record holder Tsegay, Taye Ejgayehu, Tsigie Gebreselama and the fast-rising Medina.
However, despite being a lone ranger, Chebet still has what it takes to make herself and Kenya proud.
Beatrice Chebet is a woman on form
Chebet heads to the Prefontaine Classic with an excellent winning streak that has seen her dominate the discipline since the 2024 Paris Olympic Games where she won 5000m and 10000m Gold medals.
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At the Paris Olympic Games, the 25-year-old won the 5000m title with ease, unleashing a spectacular kick in the final stages of the race to beat her compatriot Faith Kipyegon.
Chebet crossed the finishing line in a time of 14:28.56 with Kipyegon and the Ethiopian-born Dutch runner Sifan Hassan clocking 14:29.60 and 14:30.61 to complete the medal positions.
Meanwhile, Ejgayehu (14:32.98), Eisa (14:35.43) and Tsegay (14.45.21) settled for the sixth, seventh and ninth positions in that memorable race.
After shining at the Olympic Games, Chebet went on to win the 2024 Diamond League trophy in Brussels in September.
The athlete, who is also expected to feature in Rabat Diamond League later this month, won the coveted title in a comfortable fashion.
Chebet’s most recent outing at the Xiamen Diamond League saw her win the race in a world lead time of 14:27.12.
What is at stake for Beatrice Chebet & the 5000m women’s competitors at the 2025 Prefontaine Classic?
These East African superstars will attack the 5000m world record at the eagerly awaited showdown.
The current world record of 14:00.21 that was set by Tsegay at the same venue in 2023 is likely to be lowered due to the caliber of athletes that the organizers have assembled.
Chebet is the favorite to break the mark as she has shown a significant improvement in the past two years.
The Londiani Secondary School alumni ran the fastest time of the 2024 season. Chebet also became the first woman to dip under 29.00.00 in the 10000m race last year when she set a world record of 28:54.14.
Besides Chebet, Eisa may also produce a historic display at the Prefontaine Classic since she is enjoying a remarkable form at the moment.
Eisa, who is the second ranked women over the distance in the world at the moment, showed that she can compete with the very best when she clocked to bag a second position in 5000m race in the Miami Grand Slam Track on Friday, May 2.
Athletics fans should also not count out Tsegay, Ejgayehu and Gebreselama from running the fastest 5000m women’s race ever in Eugene.
Beatrice Chebet and four other women confirmed for the 5000m race at 2025 Prefontaine Classic so far
- Beatrice Chebet (Kenya)
- Gudaf Tsegay (Ethiopia)
- Medina Eisa (Ethiopia)
- Tsigie Gebreselama (Ethiopia)
- Ejgayehu Taye (Ethiopia)
According to the organizers, several other athletes will join Chebet and the rest of the field in the coming weeks.
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