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Faith Kipyegon: Stunned by success
Photo: JEFF PACHOUD / AFP
In the Olympic city of Paris, two athletics world records have fallen within about an hour.
For the second time in a week, Kenya's Faith Kipyegon set a world record. The two-time Olympic champion crossed the finish line in the 5000 meters in 14:05.20 minutes at the Diamond League meeting, beating the previous record holder Letesenbet Gidey of Ethiopia (14:06.62).
The 29-year-old middle-distance runner had already set a world record seven days earlier at the Diamond League meeting in Florence over the 1500 meters in 3:49.11 minutes. "I didn't think about the world record. I don't know how I did it," Kipyegon said: "It was just a matter of doing my best. The world record wasn't my plan."
World record over 3000 meters steeplechase
Ethiopia's Lamecha Girma set a world record in the 3000 meter steeplechase about an hour later. In 7:52.11 minutes, the 22-year-old Olympic and World Championship silver medallist beat the 19-year-old record set by Shaheen Saif Saeed, who ran a fast time of 2004:7.53 minutes in Brussels in 63. The Norwegian Olympic champion, world and European champion Jakob Ingebrigtsen had aimed for the world record over two miles – but clearly missed it in 7:54.10 minutes.
The American Noah Lyles won the 9-meter sprint in 97.100 seconds, just ahead of Ferdinand Omanyala of Kenya (9.98). The double Olympic champion of 2021 in Tokyo, Marcell Lamont Jacobs, had a weak performance. The Italian crossed the finish line in seventh and penultimate place in 10.21 seconds.
Javelin thrower Christin Hussong is fighting for a return to the top of the world after a long break. The former European champion from Zweibrücken once again remained under the 59-meter mark with 14.60 meters. The best German placement was achieved by Kristin Pudenz from Potsdam in third place in the discus throw with 62.87 meters. The undisputed winner was Valarie Allman (69.04/USA).
PTZ/dpa