Agnes Ngetich makes history with a new women’s 10 km world record
On Saturday, April 26th, 2025, during the Adizero: Road to Records event held at the heart of Adidas’s headquarters in Herzogenaurach, Agnes Ngetich made a significant impact. With a time of 29 minutes and 27 seconds, the Kenyan shattered the women’s-only 10 km world record, becoming the first woman to break the mythical 30-minute barrier under these conditions. A historic performance.
| Adizero: Road to Records, a record-breaking event
The Adizero: Road to Records race is always highly anticipated by running enthusiasts. Performance, showcasing the latest technological innovations, and record attempts: every year, Adidas brings together some of its fastest athletes to push the limits of what’s possible. At the global headquarters of the brand, in a rural setting near Nuremberg, 6 road races are organized in partnership with World Athletics (Mile, 5 km, 10 km, for both men and women).
The goal is clear: to gather the best athletes and provide them with the best possible conditions to set new records. And there’s no doubt, the German brand puts in the effort. Last year, in 2024, the event showcased spectacular performances with one world record, two world U20 records, and nine national records. Since its creation in 2021, the Adizero: Road to Records race has seen 33 records fall.
| Relive the event in replay
| Agnes Ngetich under 30 minutes, a historic world record
For the 2025 edition, many elite athletes answered the call of the brand with the three stripes. The Kenyan Agnes Ngetich was the favorite for the 10 km, being the world record holder for the mixed 10 km race (28:46). And the suspense didn’t last long. Right from the first kilometers, the Kenyan set a blistering pace, widening the gap with her competitors after just five minutes of running. With a 5 km split at 14:37 (2:55/km), all signs pointed to breaking the previous record held by the late Agnes Tirop (30:01). Despite a slight decrease in pace in the second half, the 24-year-old athlete maintained her momentum and crossed the finish line far ahead of anyone else.
29:27 (2:57/km). New women-only 10 km world record. An extraordinary performance.
“I am so happy, I really didn’t expect this. Last year, I missed this record by two seconds, so I wanted to come back and try again.
After the disappointment at last year’s Olympics, I am determined to redeem myself this season at the World Championships.”
Agnes Ngetich
| Emmanuel Wanyonyi impresses in the mile, Yomif Kejelecha remains sharp in the 5 km
The day was filled with other remarkable performances. In the men’s mile, Emmanuel Wanyonyi impressed by setting a new Kenyan record with a time of 3:52.45, becoming the third fastest man in history over this distance. In the 5 km, Ethiopian Yomif Kejelcha brushed close to his own record (12:50) by winning in 12:54 after a fast-paced race. In the women’s category, his compatriot Medina Eisa dominated the 5 km with a time of 14:48 in a very tight finish. As for the men’s 10 km, the competition was fierce until the end, with Bahrain’s Birhanu Balew winning by a whisker in 26:54 after a four-runner sprint. A display of outstanding performances, confirming that Road to Records has become a must-attend event for all running enthusiasts.
With this 29:27, Agnes Ngetich pushes the boundaries of what seemed possible for a women-only race just a few years ago. This new milestone will undoubtedly inspire a whole generation of female runners and reignite the race for road records at a time when the line between elite and exceptional continues to shift. The golden age of road racing.
