Nairobi Woman Representative Esther Passaris has celebrated the official ratification of world records set by Kenyan athletes Agnes Ngetich and Emmanuel Wanyonyi, describing the achievement as a historic moment for the country’s athletics dominance.

In a statement posted on her X account on Saturday, August 30, 2025, Passaris expressed pride in the two athletes whose performances have now been officially recognised by World Athletics.

“Officially in the Record Books! World Athletics has ratified the 10KM road race world record set by Agnes Ngetich and 1 Mile by Emmanuel Wanyonyi, marking a historic moment for Kenya,” Passaris wrote.

“Congratulations to our champions!” Passaris added.

Ngetich’s record

In a statement issued on August 29, 2025, World Athletics confirmed that Agnes Ngetich’s women-only 10km world record of 29:27, set in Herzogenaurach, Germany, on April 26, 2025, has been officially ratified.

“World records set by Mondo Duplantis, Agnes Ngetich and Emmanuel Wanyonyi and two world U20 short track records set by Cameron Myers have been ratified by World Athletics,” the statement reads.

The 24-year-old became the first athlete to break the 30-minute barrier in a women-only 10km race.

Ngetich’s record-breaking performance came at the adizero Road to Records event, where she reached the halfway point in 14:37 before going on to win by more than a minute.

Her achievement broke the previous world record of 30:01 set by the late Agnes Jebet Tirop in the same German city on September 12, 2021.

“I’m so excited, I didn’t expect this. Last year I missed it by two seconds, so I wanted to come here today and try for it again,” she said after her historic run, as quoted by World Athletics..

Wanyonyi’s milestone

World Athletics also announced the ratification of Emmanuel Wanyonyi’s road mile world record of 3:54.6, achieved at the same venue in Herzogenaurach on April 27, 2024.

The performance came as the now Olympic 800m champion made his mile debut rather than competing in his specialist distance.

Wanyonyi’s record improved on the previous mark of 3:56.13 set by American Hobbs Kessler at the World Athletics Road Running Championships in Riga on October 1, 2023.

However, World Athletics noted that Wanyonyi’s record has since been surpassed by Great Britain’s Elliot Giles, who ran 3:51.3 in Düsseldorf on September 1, 2024, with that record being ratified in March 2025.

“The world record has since been improved to 3:51.3 by Great Britain’s Elliot Giles in Dusseldorf on September 1, 2024, and that record was ratified in March,” World Athletics stated.