Souleiman breaks Djiboutian mile record in Eugene – AthleticsAfrica
Connect with us

Hi, what are you looking for?

Djibouti

Souleiman breaks Djiboutian mile record in Eugene

World indoor champion Ayanleh Souleiman sets a new Djibouti mile record with a world leading time of 3:47.32 at the 40th Prefontaine Classic – IAAF Diamond League meeting in Eugene, Oregon on Saturday.

The World indoor champion Ayanleh Souleiman sets a new Djibouti mile record with a world leading time of 3:47.32 at the 40th Prefontaine Classic – [link id=”450″ tax=”post_tag” text=”IAAF Diamond League”] meeting in Eugene, Oregon on Saturday.

[link id=”248″ tax=”post_tag” text=”Ayanleh Souleiman”]’s time, which makes him the 10th-fastest performer in history, broke the IAAF Diamond League record of 3:49.09 set by Kenya’s Haron Keitany at this meeting in 2011, and the meeting record of 3:48.28 run by Daniel Kipchirchir Komen of Kenya in 2007.

“My dream was 3:47 or 3:48,” said the 21-year-old Souleiman, who won 800m bronze at last summer’s World Championships. “I’m happy today.”

Kenya’s [link id=”207″ tax=”post_tag” text=”Asbel Kiprop”] looked strong early, running behind the pacemaker in second place through 800m of the Bowerman Mile race.

After the pacemaker stepped off on the bell lap, Kenya’s [link id=”276″ tax=”post_tag” text=”Silas Kiplagat”] surged three meters into the lead approaching the final curve. Kiprop covered the move but could not stave off the hard-charging Souleiman, who flew into the lead and never looked back.

Kiplagat finished second in a personal best of 3:47.88. Aman Wote finished third in an Ethiopian record of 3:48.60, while Asbel Kiprop faded all the way to seventh in 3:50.26.

“I was expecting to run close to 3:47 and unfortunately it wasn’t my day,” Kiprop said. “I don’t know. I wasn’t comfortable. In the last 200m I wasn’t responding. I think this is due to that we came from the World Relays last weekend and came straight here.”

In ninth place, SA’s [link id=”381″ tax=”post_tag” text=”Johan Cronje”] also sets a new South African record of 3:50.70.

Advertisement. Scroll to continue reading.

In other events, Kenya’s [link id=”386″ tax=”post_tag” text=”Hellen Obiri”] sprinted to victory in a world-leading 3:57.05 to win the women’s 1500m breaking her own US all-comers’ record of 3:58.58 established at this meeting last year.

“I came here looking to run faster than my personal best from last year, which was 3:58, so I am so happy,” she said. “I like this stadium because it has been good to me. Last year I had a PB here. This year I had another PB here.”

Abeba Aregawi of Sweden finished second – ending a winning streak in the 1500m that dated back to August 2012 – in a season’s best of 3:57.57, pushing her leading total in the Diamond Race to six points. Faith Kipyegon, Obiri’s Kenyan relay teammate, moved up a spot down the straight and finished third in 3:58.01.

Ethiopia’s[link id=”258″ tax=”post_tag” text=” Sofia Assefa”] shaved two seconds off Milcah Chemos’s meeting record and nearly eight seconds off the world-leading time in the women’s 3000m steeplechase, winning in an impressive 9:11.39.

Hiwot Ayalew of Ethiopia was second in a season’s best of 9:12.89 and USA’s Emma Coburn lowered her personal best to 9:17.84 in a third-place finish.

In the men’s 800m, [link id=”424″ tax=”post_tag” text=”Nijel Amos”] of Botswana sprinted to victory in a world-leading 1:43.63 to break the meeting record of 1:43.68 set in 2011 by Abubaker Kaki of Sudan.

Ethiopia’s [link id=”256″ tax=”post_tag” text=”Mohammed Aman”], the fastest 800m runner in the world in 2013, finished second in 1:43.99 while Kaki finished third in 1:44.09. Kenya’s World record-holder [link id=”198″ tax=”post_tag” text=”David Rudisha”] finished in seventh-place in 1:44.87.

Meet The Authors

Editorial Team at World Athletics | Website | + Posts

World Athletics (formerly the International Association of Athletics Federations - IAAF) is the international governing body for the sport of athletics, such as running, jumping and throwing.

You May Also Like

Ethiopia

Ethiopian Letesenbet Gidey held off Kenyan duo of Hellen Obiri and Margaret Chelimo Kipkemboi to win the gold medal in the women’s 10,000m at...

Ethiopia

When five of the world leading distance runners gathered ahead of TCS World 10K Bengaluru 2022 on Sunday, one common question for them was:...

Ethiopia

World champions Muktar Edris (Ethiopia) and Hellen Obiri (Kenya) head to Bengaluru for the 2022 TCS World 10K race on Sunday 15 May.

World

The Diamond League General Assembly has today agreed on 14 meetings and 1 final for the 2020 season, which includes all current meetings.

Click to access the login or register cheese