Ethiopian Gudaf Tsegay became the second woman to break the 5000m world record this year and nearly became the first woman to break 14 minutes in the event.
Tsegay, a world champion at 5000m (2022) and 10,000m (2023), clocked 14 minutes, 00.21 seconds at the Pre Classic in Eugene, Oregon. She took nearly five seconds off Kenyan Faith Kipyegon’s record of 14:05.20 set June 9.
Just over an hour later, Swede Mondo Duplantis broke the men’s pole vault world record for a seventh time.
The Olympic and world champion upped it by one centimeter to 6.23 meters (20 feet, 5 inches) on his 16th attempt at the height since taking the record to 6.22 meters on Feb. 25.
Similar to Ukrainian Sergey Bubka in the 1980s and ‘90s, Duplantis has chosen to raise the bar by the minimum one centimeter for all of his world record attempts. He receives bonus money every time he breaks it.
“It is a difficult thing to factor in because of course I guess there is that thing where it is nice to break world records as much as you possibly can, but at the same time, you don’t really know exactly how high you can jump on each given day,” he said. “I don’t know what the perfect number is.”
In the last three years, the women’s 5000m world record has been lowered 10.94 seconds combined by Ethiopian Letesenbet Gidey, Kipyegon and now Tsegay.
Kenyan Beatrice Chebet was second to Tsegay on Sunday in 14:05.92, the third-fastest time in history.
Tsegay placed 13th at last month’s world championships in the 5000m that was won by Kipyegon. That race took place seven days after Tsegay led an Ethiopian medals sweep of the 10,000m. She said Sunday that she picked up a leg injury between those two finals.
Tsegay said at worlds that she may bid to race the 1500m, 5000m and 10,000m at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Tsegay is the fourth-fastest woman in history at 10,000m and 12th-fastest in the 1500m.
Full Pre Classic results are here.
Also Sunday, Athing Mu broke her American record by winning the 800m in 1:54.97, overtaking Olympic and world silver medalist Keely Hodgkinson of Great Britain.
Mu, who followed her Tokyo Olympic gold and 2022 World title with a bronze at last month’s worlds, ran the world’s best time in five years.
“I just didn’t enjoy any day,” at world championships, Mu, who considered not racing worlds after a busy two years, told Lewis Johnson on NBC Sports. “I’m happy that I could rejuvenate after worlds, take the three weeks to enjoy life.”
Norway’s Jakob Ingebrigtsen ran the third-fastest 3000m in history (7:23.63), one day after running the third-fastest mile in history.
Ingebrigtsen, the Olympic 1500m gold medalist and world 5000m champion, edged Ethiopian Yomif Kejelcha by one hundredth of a second. Grant Fisher was third in 7:25.47, breaking his American record by 3.01 seconds
Earlier this year, Ingebrigtsen ran the fastest times in history in the 2000m and at two miles. The mile, 2000m, 3000m and two miles are not contested at the Olympics or world outdoor championships.
Jamaican Shericka Jackson won the 200m in 21.57, the eighth-fastest time in history. In the last 15 months, Jackson has run five of the eight best times in history. Her best time (21.41) is seven hundredths shy of Florence Griffith-Joyner’s world record from 1988.
Joe Kovacs handed Ryan Crouser his first defeat in the shot put since last September, throwing 22.93 meters. Crouser, whose world record from May 27 is 23.56, was second on Sunday with a 22.91-meter throw.
Kenyan Emmanuel Wanyonyi won the men’s 800m in 1:42.80, the world’s best time in four years. Wanyonyi, 19 and the world silver medalist, overtook world champion Marco Arop, who ran 1:42.85 for a Canadian record.
Jamaican Hansle Parchment overtook American Grant Holloway to win the 110m hurdles in a personal-best 12.93 seconds, the world’s best time this year. Parchment is the Olympic gold medalist. Holloway (13.06) is the three-time reigning world champion.
Valarie Allman won the discus with a 68.66-meter throw, edging countrywoman Laulauga Tausaga-Collins by 11 inches. It was a reversal of their American one-two from August’s worlds.
The Pre Classic was the last top-level meet of the outdoor track and field season.
The fall marathon season begins next Sunday in Berlin, headlined by world record holder and two-time Olympic gold medalist Eliud Kipchoge of Kenya.
