Bahrain's Golden Girl and Olympic champion Ruth Jebet last night smashed the world record in the 3,000m steeplechase, clocking 8min 52.78sec at the Diamond League meet in Paris.
The 19-year-old obliterated the previous record of 8:58.81 achieved by Russian Gulnara Galkina at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
Jebet won Olympic gold in Rio with 8:59.75, the second fastest time ever in the event, having also clocked 8:59.97 at the Eugene meet in the US last May.
Only Galkina and Jebet have ever dipped below the nine-minute mark in the event.
“I’m so happy. I’ve tried to beat the world record several times, but tonight we decided to push ourselves to go looking for a good time,” said Jebet.
“The pacemaker was very strong. She was at the Games... I wasn’t expecting such a difference with the previous record.”
Elsewhere on the track, Dutchwoman Dafne Schippers got back to winning ways in the 200m. The silver medallist in the 200m in the Rio Games, went one better by winning in 22.13sec ahead of Britain’s Desiree Henry (22.46, a new personal best) and American Jenna Prandini (22.48).
The Diamond League is an elite circuit for track and field with stops around the world each year. Placings at each of the Diamond League events score towards an overall, cumulative point total.
Results:
Women’s 3000m Steeplechase: 1. Ruth Jebet (Bahrain) 8:52.78 WR; 2. Hyvin Kiyeng Jepkemoi (Kenya) 9:01.96; 3. Emma Coburn (U.S.) 9:10.19; 4. Beatrice Chepkoech (Kenya) 9:10.86; 5. Sofia Assefa (Ethiopia) 9:13.09.