The Afghanistan National Athletics Federation has announced that Mohammad Karim Yaqoot, a prominent long-distance runner, has set a new national record in the 5,000 meters during competitions held in Newcastle, England. According to the federation, Yaqoot completed the race in 16 minutes and 11 seconds, improving the previous national record by five seconds and reclaiming the title in his name. Earlier, Yaqoot had set the national 5,000m record in 2018 with a time of 16 minutes, 57.30 seconds. The record was later broken last year by Mohammad Bashir Abdullahi at the Imam Reza Cup in Mashhad, Iran, with a time of 16 minutes, 18.82 seconds. With his latest performance, Yaqoot has not only regained the national record but also demonstrated that consistent effort and improved preparation can lead to significant progress in athletics. This achievement is considered an important step in the development of long-distance running in Afghanistan and is expected to inspire a new generation of athletes in the country.
