APA-Addis Ababa (Ethiopia) Lamecha Girma of Ethiopia has set a new 3000m steeplechase world record in the Paris Diamond League meeting.
Girma almost got a bit carried away mid-race, though, and ran well ahead of the wave lights through the middle section of the race.
With two laps to go, the sound of the bell and the reaction of the crowd seemingly gave him added impetus on the final lap as he moved clear of the lights once more.
He then sped around the final lap in about 64 seconds, crossing the line in 7:52.11, taking 1.52 seconds off the world record set 19 years ago by Said Saeed Shaheen.
Another famous Ethiopian women athlete Letesenbet Gidey, however, was unable to stop Kenya’s Faith Kipyegon from breaking her 5000m record in the Diamond League meeting.
Kipyegon crossed the line in 14:05.20 – a 1.42-second improvement on Letesenbet’s mark.
It was Kipyegon’s second world record in a week. The Kenyan smashed the 1500m world record in Florence seven days ago with a time of 3:49.11.
“I did not think about the WR, I do not know how I made it,” Kipyegon was quoted as saying.
Letesenbet finished second in 14:07.94, the third-fastest time in history, while her compatriot Ejgayehu Taye came third in 14:13.31.
MG/as/APA