In athletics, it is very rare for runners to hold more than one record simultaneously because of stiff competition, particularly in middle distance races.
However, four athletes have overcome all the obstacles to hold more than two world records. Surprisingly, no Kenyan athlete has more than two world records today.
TeamKenya.co.ke looks at athletes, both present and retired, who currently hold more than two world records.
Also Read: Sifan Hints at Following in Obiri's Footsteps
Joshua Jeptegei
The Ugandan runner is the current world holder of both the 5,000m and 10,000m races.
He set the 5,000m on August 14, 2020 at the Monaco Diamond League meeting held at the Stade Louis II Stadium in France when he ran a tactical race to cross the finishing line in 12:35.36.
Less than two months later, Jeptegei produced a thrilling performance to break Kenenisa Bekele’s 15-year-old 10,000m world record. He clocked 26:11.00 to slash Bekele's world record by more than 5 seconds.
Usain Bolt
Usain Bolt who is nicknamed Lightning Bolt is arguably the greatest runner of all time. The Jamaican currently holds both the 200m and 100m world records.
He set both of the world records at the 2009 World Championships in Berlin, Germany. Bolt set the 100m record of 9.58 seconds on August 16 before smashing the 200m record on August 20. His 200m world record stands at 19.19 seconds.
Hicham El Guerrouj
The Moroccan runner is the current world record holder of both the 1,500m and 2,000m race.
El Guerrouj broke the previous record of 3:27.37 set by Algeria's Noureddine Morceli in 1998 when he ran a perfect race to cross the finishing line in 3:26.00 in Rome, Italy.
In September 1999, El Guerrouj ran 4:44.79 to break the 2000m world record in Berlin, Germany.
Also Read: Kenyan Rivals Obiri & Jepchirchir to Face Off at the Great North Run
Florence Griffith Joyner (US)
The American athlete currently holds both the 100m and 200m world records. She set the 100m world record of 10.49 in July 1988 in Indianapolis, United States.
In September that year, Joyner smashed the 200m women’s world record when she crossed the finishing line in 21.34 at the Olympic Stadium in Seoul, South Korea.
Letesenbet Gidey
The Ethiopian is the record holder of both the women’s 5,000m and 10,000m world records.
In 2020, Gidey ran one of the most spectacular middle distance races to shatter the 12-year-old 5,000m world record set by compatriot Triunesh Dibaba.
She crossed the finishing line in 14:06.65 to smash Dibaba’s record of 14:11.15 by more than four seconds.
Less than a year later, Gidey ran the 10,000m race in 29:01.03 in Hengelo, Netherlands to break the 2-day world record of 29:06.82 set by Sifan Hassan at the same track.
In doing so, she became the second female athlete after Ingrid Kristiansen to hold both of the above world records simultaneously.
She also holds the Half marathon and one hour world records.
Sifan Hassan
The Ethiopian-born Dutch runner is the current record holder of both the one hour and one mile world records.
Hassan, who is also a double Olympic champion, broke the one mile record in July 2019 at the Monaco Diamond League crossing the finishing line in 4:12.33.
The talented athlete did not stop there, he went on to break the one hour world record at the Memorial Van Damme track in Brussels, Belgium. She covered a distance of 18, 930 metres in to smash the previous mark of 18,570 metres set by Ethiopia’s Dire Tune in 2008.
Also Read: List of Kenyan Athletes Competing in 2022 Wanda Diamond League Final