athletics
The Stade Charlety in Paris proved to be good ground for world records on Friday. Because thanks to Faith Kipyegon from Kenya and Lamecha Girma from Ethiopia, there were new records to celebrate in the Diamond League over 5,000 meters for women and in the steeplechase over 3,000 meters for men. A record was also erased on a mile distance that was rarely run.
While Kipyegon had already set a world record a week ago, back then over 1,500 m, Girma erased the 18-year-old record of Shaheen Saif Saaed in the steeplechase. The 22-year-old Olympic and World Championship silver medalist was more than a second faster than the Qatari in 7:52.11 minutes. Born in Kenya, he triumphed in Brussels in 2004 in 7:53.63 minutes.
Before that, Kipyegon celebrated her second world record in seven days. After the Kenyan had beaten the record over 1,500 m to 3:49.11 minutes in Florence, she set the fastest time ever in Paris over 5,000 m in 14:05.20 minutes. The 29-year-old was over a second faster than Ethiopian Letesenbet Gidey, who set the old record in October 2020 (14:06.62). “I didn’t think about the world record. I don’t know how I did it,” Kipyegon said.
The Norwegian Jakob Ingebrigtsen undercut the 7:58.61 minutes set by Daniel Komen in 1997 on the rarely run two-mile distance in 7:54.10 minutes. Noah Lyles won over 100 m, the American came in a headwind of almost one meter in 9.97 seconds. Olympic champion Marcell Jacobs (ITA) played no role as seventh in 10.21 seconds. Gabrielle Thomas (USA) won the 200m in 22.05 seconds.
