American clocks 12:44.09 at Boston University to take five seconds off Kenenisa Bekele's long-standing mark

Grant Fisher was only six years old when Kenenisa Bekele set the long-standing world indoor record of 12:49.60 for 5000m in Birmingham in 2004. But at the David Hemery Valentine Invitational at Boston University on Friday (Feb 14) the American smashed the mark with 12:44.09.

It was his second world record in less than a week after his 3000m mark of 7:22.91 at the Millrose Games six days earlier. His time in Boston was also quicker than his own outdoor American 5000m record of 12:46.96.

The 27-year-old won Olympic bronze medals at 5000m and 10,000m in Paris last year but has moved on to a new level in 2025.

At the Millrose Games he out-kicked Olympic 1500m champion Cole Hocker as both men went inside Lamecha Girma’s world record of 7:23.81 and now in Boston he has taken five seconds off a world record which was held by the all-time great Bekele.

Racing on a Boston track that has earned a reputation as a hotbed for fast times, Fisher clocked kilometre splits of 2:31, 2:34, 2:33, 2:33, 2:31 on his way to the record.