Ethiopia's Ejegayehu Taye, Berihu Aregawi break 5km world records in Barcelona

Ethiopia's Ejegayehu Taye and Berihu Aregawi broke the world 5km records at the Cursa dels Nassos in Barcelona on Friday, clocking 14:19 and 12:49 respectively.

Taye, 21, had set an Ethiopian 3000m record of 8:19.52 in 2021 and was the second-fastest woman in the world over 5000m last season, but on Friday in Barcelona, she was contesting just the second international road race of her career.

With the women and men starting at the same time, Taye was able to use some of the men in the field as pacemakers. She opened up a clear gap on Sweden's Meraf Bahta in the early stages and went on to win in 14:19, taking 24 seconds off the world record for the 5km in a mixed race. Bahta was second in 15:04.

Twenty-year-old Aregawi had a pacemaker for the company for the first kilometre or so, but after then was out on his own.

The Diamond League 5000m champion stormed through the finish line in 12:49, taking two seconds off Cheptegei's world record. Peter Maru was a distant runner-up in 13:30.

( With inputs from ANI )

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