World Athletics Road Running Championships 2023: Faith Kipyegon only third as Diribe Welteji breaks road mile world record

Ethiopia’s Diribe Welteji produced a huge upset in the women’s road mile at the first World Athletics Road Running Championships in Riga, Latvia, on Sunday (1 October).

After her two golds at August's Budapest World Championships and three world records this year - one of which, the 5000m, has since been eclipsed - Faith Kipyegon was fully expected to maintain her unbeaten record in 2023.

But Welteji, who was second to Kipyegon in the 1500m in Budapest, kicked clear in the closing stages to take victory in a new world record of 4:20.98.

That was just over a second and a half inside Mirriam Cherrop's 4:22.54 in Honolulu from December 2018, athough the road mile was only recognised as an official world record discipline at the start of September.

Freweyni Hailu (4:23.06) also passed Kipyegon late on to make it an Ethiopian one-two with the Kenyan superstar taking third in 4:24.13.

Kipyegon set the early pace with compatriot Nelly Chepchirchir, and the Ethiopian duo of Welteji and Hailu going with her.

As Kipyegon looked to open some daylight between her and her challengers, Welteji remained tucked in behind her.

And with about 100 metres to go, Welteji stepped up a gear to become the first ever world road mile champion.

There was also a world record in an exhilarating finish to the men’s road mile with less than a second covering the first five athletes home.

Hobbs Kessler of the United States came out on top in the sprint, clocking 3:56.13.

Great Britain's Callum Elson (3:56.41) was second, just two-hundredths ahead of another American, Samuel Parkel, who took bronze.

Chebet and Gebrhiwet take 5km crowns

The inaugural World Athletics Road Running Championships got off to a thrilling start with Beatrice Chebet clinching the women’s 5km title.

It was her second world title of 2023 having won the cross-country crown in Bathurst, Australia in February.

Chebet now boasts world medals on the road, in cross-country and the track after her 5000m bronze at the Budapest World Championships.

The Kenyan set a blistering pace with a lead group of nine women going through the first kilometre under three minutes.

That group was soon whittled down to four with Chebet’s compatriot Lilian Kasait Rengeruk and the Ethiopian duo of Ejgayehu Taye and Medina Eisa remaining in the hunt.

Chebet pulled away in the final stretch, taking victory in 14:35.

Rengeruk ensured Kenya won gold and silver as she outsprinted Taye for silver with both women clocking 14:39.

There was a one-two for Ethiopia in the men's 5km as Hagos Gebrhiwet outsprinted teammate Yomif Kejelcha to take gold.

Gebrhiwet won in a time of 12:59 with Kejelcha three seconds back.

The pair were a long way clear of Kenya’s Nicholas Kipkorir who took bronze in 13:16.

Kenya sweep men’s and women’s half-marathon podiums

Olympic marathon champion Peres Jepchirchir claimed her third world half-marathon crown in a championship record time of 1:07:25.

Jepchirchir, who turned 30 on Wednesday, unleashed a devastating kick with 400 metres to go to cross the line a second clear of teammate Margaret Chelimo Kipkemboi.

She joins an elite group of Tegla Loroupe, Lornah Kiplagat and Paula Radcliffe as three-time half-marathon women's world champions after previous successes in 2016 and 2020.

Catherine Reline Amanang'ole (1:07:34) took third place for a Kenyan podium sweep.

Kenya also swept the men’s half-marathon with Sabastian Kimaru Sawe emulating Jepchirchir's late surge to take victory in a championship record 59:10.

At the 20km mark, Daniel Ebenyo was holding onto a precarious four-second lead with Sawe tracking behind him. He ultimately ran out of steam with the finish in sight and saluted Sawe as his compatriot went past him.

Ebenyo clinched silver in 59:14 with Samwel Nyamai Mailu taking bronze in 59:19.