Today’s Star of the Day is Almaz Ayana of Ethiopia, who smashed a 23-year-old world record to win the greatest-ever women’s 10,000 metres.
The world 5,000 metres champion, running only her second 10,000 metres, ripped the field apart to finish in 29 minutes 17.45 seconds, an incredible 14 seconds inside the previously untouchable 29:31.78 set by China’s Wang Junxia in 1993.
No woman had gone under 30 minutes in the last seven years, but the first four all did yesterday.
“It’s amazing — I saw the record after the race. My only plan was to win the race,” Ayana told reporters.
“This means everything to me. Getting to this point is a dream come true, I never thought it would happen and I’m so in awe.”
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