World 5,000 and 10,000 metres record holder Joshua Cheptegei failed to break long-standing men's 3000m world record in the Continental Tour Gold meeting on Wednesday night.
The 24-year-old Ugandan clocked 7 minutes 33.24 seconds, a personal best and a world leading time for the 3000m race, but was nearly 13 seconds short of Kenyan Daniel Komen's time of 7 minutes 20. 67 seconds set 25 years ago.
After an outstanding 2020 season, during which he broke world 5,000m and 10,000m records, Cheptegei was aiming to add the 3000m that has eluded many over the years.
He was on a world record pace in the first half of the race covering the first 1600m in 3 minutes 55 seconds but slowed down as the race progressed.
In August 2020, Cheptegei clocked 12 minutes 35.26 seconds to erase the previous world record of 12 minutes 37.35 seconds in 5,000m, and later in October, he clocked 26 minutes 11.00 seconds to improve the previous 10,000m world record by six seconds.