(Reuters) -Ethiopia’s Gudaf Tsegay smashed the women’s 5,000 metres world record with a run of 14 minutes and 21 hundredths of a second on Sunday at the Eugene Diamond League finale, breaking Kenyan Faith Kipyegon’s previous mark set in June.
Kenyan Beatrice Chebet finished second in 14:05.92 while Ethiopia’s Ejgayehu Taye was third in 14:21.52.
Tsegay set a blistering pace from the start and broke away from Chebet with about 800 metres to go, with the fans at Hayward Field on their feet as she raced against the clock.
The Tokyo bronze medallist was miles from the rest of the field as she broke the tape and collapsed to the track in sheer exhaustion before going to the stands to sign autographs.
The stunning performance trimmed roughly five seconds off of Kipyegon’s previous record, set at the Paris Diamond League.
(Reporting by Amy Tennery in New York, Editing by Louise Heavens and Hugh Lawson)
