Yomi Omogbeja
Ethiopian Genzebe Dibaba smashed the outdoor World Record for the women’s 1500m at the Meeting Herculis – IAAF Diamond League in Monaco on Friday night.
The diminutive East African runner clocked an incredible 3:50.07 to set a new personal best and a Diamond League record, erasing Chinese Qu Yunxia‘s mark of 3:50.46, set in 1993. Her time also knocked off the 3:54.11 African record she set in Barcelona last week.
European champion Sifan Hassan sets a Dutch record of 3:56.05 in second place while USA’s Shannon Rowbury shattered the American record with 3:56.29 for third.
Another American Jenny Simpson was fourth in a season’s best 3:57.30 ahead of fifth placed Briton, Laura Muir, who clocked a personal best time of 3:58.66.
Maureen Koster from the Netherlands edged Ethiopian Basu Sado to sixth place with both athletes posting lifetime bests of 3:59.79 and 4:00.65 respectively in the process.
Crazy race…#GenzebeDibaba has broken the WORLD RECORD in #MonacoDL
— Athletics Africa (@athleticsafrica) July 17, 2015
Genzebe Dibaba, who’s a two-time world indoor champion, is the first Ethiopian (male or female) to hold a world outdoor middle distance record.
After the race Dibaba told the media that the “Pacemaker did a great job” and that she will try to break the 5000m world record after the World Championships in Beijing next month.
“I’m first from Ethiopia getting 1500m world record, that is amazing,” she said. “I think Tirunesh (her older sister) will be happy, all of Ethiopia will be happy.
“I knew from the beginning that I could break the record, and am still able to improve, maybe under 3:50. But one thing is clear, I will double at World Championships.”
“And let’s try for 5000m world record after Beijing,” she added.
In another scintillating race, Asbel Kiprop narrowly missed the World record in the men’s 1500m.
The Kenyan clocked a meeting record 3:26.69 to become the third-fastest 1500m runner in history behind Algeria‘s Hicham El Guerrouj and USA’s Bernard Lagat in the all-time list.
Olympic champion Taoufik Makhloufi from Algeria clocked a lifetime best of 3:28.75 to finish second, while Morocco’s 2012 world indoor champion Abdelaati Iguider (3:28.79) edged past Britain’s Olympic 10,000m champion Mo Farah (3:28.93) on the last lap to nick third place.
RESULTS – IAAF Diamond League Monaco 2015 – Meeting Herculis
Watch the Race Video:
