Mosop snatches World Record at Prefontaine Classic

Written By:Bernard Langat,    Posted: Sat, Jun 04, 2011

Kenya's Moses Mosop celebrates breaking the 30,000 meters world record

Kenya's Moses Mosop Friday broke a 30 year-old world record by running the 30,000 meters in 1 hour, 26 minutes, 47.4 seconds at the Prefontaine Classic meet.

Mosop also broke the 25,000-meter world record en route in 1 hour 12 minutes and 25.4 seconds.

25-year-old Mosop, became the first African to hold the records which Japan's Toshihiko Seko set in Christchurch, New Zealand, in March 1981.

World Marathon champion Abel Kirui of Kenya completed the race in second position while Hosea Macharinyang completed a clean medal-sweep for Kenya, clocking a time of 1 hour 35 minutes and 21.5 seconds.  

In the women's 5000 meters race, Kenya's Vivian Cheruiyot, emerged victorious clocking 14 minutes and 33.96 seconds.

World 10,000 meters champion Linet Masai and Mercy Cheronoh took the second and third positions respectively.   

The race was among the distance events contested Friday night as part of the Prefontaine Classic, the fourth stop on the international Diamond League circuit.