World 10K record holder Agnes Ng’etich will swap the roads for the track spotlight when she lines up in the women’s 5,000m at the Brussels Diamond League on August 22, sharpening her blades for a historic double assault at next month’s World Championships in Tokyo.
Brussels organisers have cast Ng’etich as the headline act in a star-studded field, just three weeks before the global showpiece. The 24-year-old currently sits third on the all-time list with her 14:01.29 runner-up finish at the Prefontaine Classic on July 5. Only Ethiopia’s Gudaf Tsegay (14:00.21) and world record holder Beatrice Chebet (13:58.06) have ever gone faster.
Ng'etich will be hoping to use the Brussels race to sharpen her form ahead of a historic distance double in Tokyo over 5,000m and 10,000m. In the 5,000m, she will be in the company of defending World Champion Faith Kipyegon, World record holder Beatrice Chebet and Margaret Akidor.
In the 25-lap race, Ngetich will join forces with Chebet once again and Janeth Chepngetich. Ng'etich had earlier stated her intent to improve her speed before the global extravaganza.
"I want to focus on my speed before the World Championships because at that stage you have to be cautious till the final 300 to 200m," Ng'etich told The Star earlier. She further credited Chebet's and Kipyegon's influence in her growing confidence on the track.
"Faith and Beatrice motivated me to go into the track and perform well. I decided to focus on the track races this year and see if I can get the speed as I prepare for Tokyo."
Ng'etich will be buoyed by her imperious form on both track and road throughout the 2025 season. She kicked off her 2025 season with a dominant cross-country victory at the Sirikwa Classic, clocking 32:42 to lead Chepng'etich (33:52) and Miriam Chebet (34:09).
Ng'etich opened her track campaign at the Kingston Grand Slam, clocking 14:59.80 for second place in the 5,000m before grabbing another runner-up finish in the 3,000m with 8:28.75. She returned to the roads, at the Adidas Adizero Road to records, obliterating the women's only 10K record after clocking 29:27.
She later turned heads at the Miami Slam, dominating the 5,000m in 14:25.80 and placing third in the 3,000m in 8:23.14. Ngetich dazzled in Philadelphia with a commanding 8:43.61 victory over 3,000m.
It was her dominant display at the Grand Slam that secured her place in Team Kenya's 5,000m squad from the Prefontaine Classic trials on July 5. She cemented her spot in the 10,000m team with a second-place finish at the Ulinzi Complex trials on July 22, clocking 30:27.38, sandwiched between winner Janeth Chepngetich (30:27.02) and third-placed Chebet (30:27.52).
