Olympic Champion Beatrice Chebet once again stamped her authority on the track, delivering a scintillating performance to win the women’s 3000m at the Rabat Diamond League on Sunday evening.
The 25-year-old blazed to a world-leading time of 8:11.56, setting a new Diamond League record.
Already the world record holder in the 10,000m, Chebet showcased her incredible range by comfortably outpacing a strong field in Morocco. Italy’s Nadia Battocletti, the Olympic silver medallist and European 10K champion, finished second in a national record time of 8:26.27, while Ireland’s Sarah Healy clocked a personal best of 8:27.02 to secure third place.
A Personal Best, Not a World Record Chase
Despite the historic performance, Chebet was quick to downplay any suggestions that she had arrived in Rabat with the world record in her sights.
“I am so, so happy. I was not preparing a world record attempt. I just came to run my personal best and I succeeded,” Chebet shared in a post-race interview.
“I just have to believe in myself and then maybe after some months or years, that world record will come. It’s just a matter of time and I don’t want to rush things,” she added.
The 3000m is a distance Chebet admits she has grown fond of.
“After a few laps, I realised I was on my own, but I kept pushing myself as I wanted to show everyone what I can do,” she said.
“Nothing like a 5000m or 10,000m, it’s something completely different and I am also good at it.”
Despite the record-breaking time, she maintains that her primary target remains this year’s World Championships in Tokyo.
“Timewise, I don’t have a big goal on the horizon. My main focus and goal are the World Championships in Tokyo.”
Another Milestone in a Stellar Season
Coming into Rabat, Chebet’s personal best over 3000m was 8:24.05, placing her 36th on the all-time list. But with her proven strength in the 5000m, where she recently delivered an impressive run in Xiamen, and her famed finishing speed, expectations were high.
Chebet not only met those expectations but shattered them, slicing more than 12 seconds off her previous best in one of the most commanding performances of her career.
Her 2024 season continues to impress. Already a double Olympic champion in the 5000m and 10,000m, Chebet is also a two-time, reigning Diamond League titleholder. Her growing legacy includes the fastest times ever recorded in the women’s 10,000m and the mixed and women’s-only 5km road races.
Sunday’s emphatic win in Rabat not only added another chapter to her extraordinary career but also confirmed that, whether chasing records or simply chasing her best, Beatrice Chebet is in a class of her own.
