Kipyegon sets 2nd world record in a week with new 5,000-metre mark

Faith Kipyegon, of Kenya, poses after winning the Women 5000 meters setting a new world record during the Meeting de Paris Diamond League athletics meet in Paris, on June 9, 2023.
| Photo Credit: AP

Faith Kipyegon set a world record in the 5,000 metres on Friday, a week after becoming the fastest woman ever over 1,500 metres.

The two-time Olympic and world 1,500-metre champion set the world record in the women’s 5,000 in just her third elite race over the distance when she won at the Diamond League meet in Paris in 14 minutes, 5.20 seconds.

Last week at the Golden Gala meet in Florence, the 29-year-old Kenyan runner lowered the world record in the 1,500 to 3 minutes, 49.11 seconds, taking almost a second off the previous mark of 3:50.07 set by Genzebe Dibaba of Ethiopia in 2015.

Kipyegon gave no indicated ahead of the Paris meet that another world record was on her mind, but she powered around the last lap in 61.1 seconds to take 1.42 seconds off the previous mark set by Letesenbet Gidey in 2020.

Gidey placed second ni 14:07.94, the third-fastest time ever for a woman over the 5,000.

“The world record was not in my plan, I just ran after Gidey — she is an amazing lady,” Kipyegon said.

“I don’t know what will be next. If my body is healthy, anything is possible.” Lamecha Girma broke a 19-year-old world record in the men’s 3,000-metre steeplechase later in the meet.

The 22-year-old Ethiopian sped away in the final lap to cross in 7 minutes, 52.11 seconds, taking 1.52 seconds off the record set by Said Saeed Shaheen in 2004.

“I felt so fast during the race, so confident,” Girma said.

“The world record is not a surprise; it was my plan to beat it tonight in Paris. It’s the result of my full determination.”