Dibaba breaks world women’s 1,500 metres record

Ethiopia’s Genzebe Dibaba shattered a 22-year record in women’s 1500 meters here on Friday, when the Monaco Diamond League witnessed six world-leading performances at the Stade Louis II.

Dibaba, better known as a 5000m runner until now, clocked 3:50.07 in the 1500m to break the 3:50.46 world record set by China’s Qu Yunxia in 1993.

Dibaba, 24, told a news conference she had been confident she could run a fast time in Monaco after setting an African record of 3 minutes, 54.11 seconds in Barcelona, Spain, this season. “Finally all of this preparation is paying off”.

With enormous strain on her face, Dibaba reached for every inch of strength in her body and crossed the line just 0.39 seconds ahead of the previous record.

“I knew from the beginning that I could break the record and am still able to improve, maybe under 3:50”, she said. “I’ve worked hard to get here”. ‘I always have my training sessions in the evening and I think if I was sat around all day thinking about it I don’t think I would train quite as well.

Rowbury’s 3:56.29 betters a record that had belonged to Slaney for the past 32 years and her fellow American Jenny Simpson was just behind her in 3:57.30.

“Everybody’s preparing for gold in Beijing”. I never was in Birds Nest, so I want be one of them.

American Justin Galtin, who returned to the sport in 2010 after a second doping ban, won the 100m in 9.78 ahead of US rival Tyson Gay in 9.97.

“Makes me feel really good, to go out there and dominate such a stellar race today”, Gatlin said. “I admit I would have liked a faster time but it’s great and confirms my shape before Beijing”.

The fast pace Dibaba set also dragged several athletes to personal best times.

“We had some obstacles, first handover from my young teammate [Bromell] was not that good”, Gatlin said.

The IAAF World Championships run from August 22-30. “I would accept the second leg”.

Only 2004 Olympic champion Dame Kelly Holmes has run faster among Britons. Only world-record holder Hicham El Guerrouj and Bernard Lagat have ever run faster. “I’m very satisfied, but I wanted a bit faster time”.

Olympic champion Taoufik Makhloufi of Algeria finished second with a personal best of 3:28.75, Morroccan Abdelaati Iguider, Olympic bronze medalist and world indoor champion, was the third in his own PB of 3:28.79.

Earlier in men’s 800 metres, Bosnian Amel Tuka set this year’s world-leading time of 1:42.51 minute to beat Nijel Amos of Botswana and Djibouti’s Ayanleh Souleiman.

He managed a best of 5.92m for victory, going close three times at 6.02.

Friday’s world record came at the Meeting Herculis in Monaco, the tenth leg of track-and field’s elite Diamond League meet series.

USA A, comprising of English Gardner, Allyson Felix, Jenna Prandini and Kaylin Whitney, clocked 41.96 seconds.

Prandini, meanwhile, pushed her claim for a place on the team for worlds. “There’s no doubt that is what brought me up to this level”, she said. “I would love to run in Beijing”. American Jeneba Tarmoh was third in 22.23.

Sandra Perkovic of Croatia won the women’s discus throw on 66.80 meters and already secured the Diamond Race win with four more stops coming.