Beatrice Chebet prepares for the Lisbon 10K with confidence as she eyes victory while downplaying any record-breaking ambitions in Portugal.
Double Olympic champion Beatrice Chebet has set her sights on Portugal, where she will compete in the Lisbon 10km road race on March 9.
The 24-year-old, who is also the reigning women’s 10,000m world record holder, is expected to be a top contender in what will be her second outing of the 2025 season.
Despite her incredible track credentials and recent dominance in cross-country events, Chebet is not overly fixated on chasing records in Portugal.
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Instead, her primary goal is to secure victory and use the race as part of her build-up to the rest of the season.
“My target is to keep on training as I have not scheduled any race until March 9, when I compete at the Lisbon 10K,” Chebet said in an interview with The Star.
The Kenyan star began her 2025 campaign in dominant fashion, storming to victory at the Elgoibar Cross Country race in Spain.
She clocked 25:49 on the challenging course, finishing comfortably ahead of Ethiopia’s Melknat Wudu (26:31) and Burundi’s Francine Niyomukunzi (26:33).
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That victory reaffirmed her place among the best distance runners in the world and boosted her confidence ahead of Lisbon.
With the 10km road race in Portugal on the horizon, many expect Chebet to challenge the world record set by fellow Kenyan Agnes Ng’etich, who clocked 28:46 in Valencia last year. However, Chebet has played down such expectations, choosing instead to focus on the race itself.
“That record is impressive, I’m not sure I can do that. I’ll just try to win the race,” she added.
Chebet’s personal best over 10km on the road remains 32:52, a time she set back in 2019 at the Eldoret 10K.
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However, she has since transformed into one of the most dominant female distance runners, breaking records on the track and in cross-country competitions. Her stunning 10,000m world record of 28:54.14 at the Prefontaine Classic last year cemented her status as one of the greatest long-distance athletes in history.
She followed that up with yet another history-making performance on December 31, when she shattered the women’s 5km road race world record with a sensational 13:54 finish in Barcelona. That run made her the first woman ever to break the 14-minute barrier in the event.
Heading into Lisbon, Chebet’s confidence is sky-high. Her training has been focused, and her recent performances suggest she could be primed for something special in Portugal. She has also shown remarkable consistency, proving that she can dominate across different terrains and distances.
Reflecting on her triumph in Elgoibar, Chebet admitted she was always confident about retaining her title, even on a tough course.
“Honestly, I expected to win. The circuit is arguably one of the toughest I have ever run with plenty of ups and downs, but at the same time it’s perfect to build up for the championships,” she explained.
Last season, her victory in Elgoibar set the tone for an unforgettable year in which she claimed her second World Cross Country title in Belgrade. She hopes that another dominant start to the year will lead to similar success in 2025.
