Kenya's course sensation Agnes Ngetich has said she is ready to carve a niche for herself in the hall of fame after setting her season in motion with a world record.
The bubbly 22-year-old athletics prodigy devoured a rich field to storm the women's world 10km record after timing 28:46 at the 10K Valencia Ibercaja on Sunday.
She subsequently improved the world record in the 10 km by 28 seconds with a time of 28:46.
"I am so elated and I can't just find enough words to describe how I feel exactly after such an amazing show on Sunday. It's something I didn't expect, it came as a pleasant surprise," Ngetich said.
"My sole purpose was to better and lower my time to at least 29:14. I am extremely happy I managed to run a world record of 28 minutes in the process," she added.
After her masterclass act at the World Athletics Label road race, Ngetich is training her eyes on the remaining global events lined up for the rest season, including the Paris Half Marathon race set for March 3.
"I hope to replicate a similar performance at the upcoming World Athletics Cross Country Championships Belgrade 24 in March and then the Paris 2024 Olympic Games," Ngetich remarked.
Ngetich reckons her feat augurs well for the future as she seeks to enrich her trophy cabinet with more accolades following another splendid show in the preceding season where she secured the gold and bronze medals in Bathurst, Australia.
"After clinching the bronze medal in the senior women's race in Australia last year, I vowed to fight tooth and nail in the race this year. So the outcome in Valencia last Sunday has only strengthened my resolve," Ngetich said.
Born on January 23, 2001, Ngetich stormed to two medals at the 2023 World Cross Country Championships with bronze in the senior women's race and team gold.
In March 2019, aged only 18, Ngetich clinched the 5000 metres at the Kenya African Under-20 Trials. She wrapped up fifth at the Kenyan Cross Country Championships held at the Iten Grounds in Elgeyo Marakwet County in November 2021.
In September 2022, Ngetich finished second to Sheila Chepkirui at the Brasov Running Festival 10 km road race in Brașov, Romania.
On February 18, 2023, she basked in the glory of a bronze medal in the individual race and gold in the team standings at the World Cross Country Championships held in Bathurst, Australia.
In September 2023, Ngetich shattered the women-only world 10km record in the Transylvania 10km in Brasov, Romania after breezing to triumph in an astonishing 29:24.
With that performance, she smashed the previous mark of 30:01 set by the late Agnes Tirop in Herzogenaurach in 2021.
