Joshua Cheptegei breaks world 5km record in Monaco

Uganda's Joshua Cheptegei crosses the finish line first to break the world 5km record in the Monaco run held in Monaco, France [Courtesy]

Joshua Cheptegei of Uganda has smashed the world 5-kilometre record by clocking 12 minutes and 51 seconds at the Monaco Run held in Mediterranean Principality (Monaco, France) today.

The 23-year-old took off an astonishing 27 seconds off Kenya’s Rhonex Kipruno’s record.

Joshua Cheptegei breaks the 5km World Record in 12:51 during @MonacoRun! ?WR? pic.twitter.com/KxCpSXth6y

— Global Sports Comm (@GlobalSportsCom) February 16, 2020

“Wow, this is a really great. I had sub 13 minutes in my mind today so when my legs felt good during the race I decided to really go for it. To take this many seconds off the record makes me very happy and is a great first test for me in an important season,” said Cheptegei as seen on the World Athletics Website.

Cheptegei, who was making his 2020 racing debut, has now set a new record, surpassing the preceding fastest ever a time for the distance – done by Sammy Kipketer in Carlsbad, USA in 2000, when he clocked 13:00. This, however, was before the 5km became an official world record event in November 2017.

World marathon record-holder Eliud Kipchoge was among the first athletes to congratulate Cheptegei.

My heartfelt congratulations to joshua https://t.co/9hfkJvfB5L — Eliud Kipchoge - EGH???????? (@EliudKipchoge) February 16, 2020

Cheptegei celebrates winning Gold in the 1000m final at the World Athletics Championships in Doha last year [COURTESY]

Cheptegei was the 10,000m Gold medal winner at the World Championships in Doha last year.