Ethiopian Gudaf Tsegaye has won 5000m in UK all-comers’ record in the final Diamond League fixture before the World Athletics Championship next month.
In London, the world champion produced a well-timed finish to beat Olympic champion Sifan Hassan of the Netherlands, and Diamond League champion Beatrice Chebet of Kenya on Friday night.
It was the highest-quality women’s 5000m ever, says the World Athletics (WA), governing body of the sport, in its report later.
The lead pack of seven women was formed after a Pacemaker led the field through 3000m in a swift 8:35.18. The group involved three Ethiopian athletes Medina Eisa, Birke Haylom, and Melknat Wudu as well as US’s Alicia Monson.
Birke and Melknat soon drifted back to form a chase duo. The remaining five were still close together until the final lap, with Sifan taking the leading duties. Sifan continued to lead into the home straight, but then Gudaf and Chebet went past her.
Gudaf went on to win in a UK all-comers’ record of 14:12.29, just seven seconds shy of the world record. Her finishing mark took her to fourth on the world all-time list, Per WA.
The result will be a major factor in which event she is going to participate in the World Athletics Championships.
Back at the London diamond league, Chebet was second in a PB of 14:12.92 and Sifan finished third in a European record of 14:13.42.
Medina was fourth in a world U20 record of 14:16.54 and Monson followed her a few seconds later. Birke and Melknat finished sixth (14:37.94) and seventh (14:39.36), respectively