Joshua Cheptegei sets new 10km road record in Valencia

Cheptegei’s beat the mark of Leonard Komon of Kenya, set in 2010, by six seconds

Chipatgei celebrates after beating the world record (EPA)

Joshua Cheptegei has set a new 10km road world record in Valencia.

The Ugandan distance runner recorded a time of 26 minutes and 38 seconds to improve the mark of Kenya’s Leonard Komon by six seconds.

Komon’s record had stood for nine years.

Cheptegei, who took victory on the track over the same distance at the 2019 World Athletics Championships in Doha, reached the halfway mark in 13:23 and covered the final kilometre in 2:45.

Cheptegei’s latest achievement caps an extraordinary year in which he also took victory at the IAAF World Cross Championships in Denmark.

“What a year it has been. I can’t believe it,” the 23-year-old said after completing a memorable 2019 treble.

“I knew that Valencia was going to be a really fast course, one of the fastest in the world. So to get to achieve what we came here for is something really special.

“This year has made me so happy.”

Cheptegei shapes as one of the leading contenders for OIympic gold over 10,000m in Tokyo next summer.

Sir Mo Farah, two-time defending champion in the event, announced his intention to compete over the distance at the Olympics after abandoning his plans to race the marathon.

The Ugandan finished second behind Farah at the 2017 Worlds in London.