Record breaking week for Africa’s superstars

It’s been another incredible week in the athletics world which included two world records for Africa on one night at the Diamond League meet in Paris and two history-making runs at the Comrades Marathon. We take a look at the African athletes who have excelled in track and field and on the roads…

Fantastic Faith does it again – Paris Diamond League

Less than a week after her phenomenal world record run in the 1500m in Florence, Faith Kipyegon returned to the track to tackle the longer distance of 5000m. It was only the third time she’s attempted the distance and the first in eight years. The fleet-footed Kenyan went with Ethiopia’s Letsenbet Gidey when she surged ahead of the pack and then took to the front with around 600m to go. It looked like the record might have got away from her but an extraordinary final 200m saw her sprinting home and crossing the line in an outrageously quick 14:05.20. That was almost a second and a half faster than the previous mark set by Gidey in 2020.

Lamecha shatters 19-year-old record – Paris Diamond League

Unlike Kipyegon, Ethiopian Girma Lamecha was on a solo mission as he targeted the 3000m steeple chase world record set by former world champion Said Saeed Shaheen back in 2004. But he looked like he may have gone out too quickly when he faded somewhat and the lights around the track marking world record pace started nipping at his heels. The Ethiopian was unfazed, however, and a 64-second final lap saw him powering to the line in 7:52.11 to add to the indoor world record he set over 3000m earlier this year.

Another world lead for Wanyonyi in the 800m – Paris Diamond League

Kenyan teenager Emmanual Wanyonyi had already run the fastest time in the world this year when he arrived in Paris – having achieved that feat at the Kip Keino Classic in Nairobi last month. But he went even quicker in the French capital. The 18-year-old left it late to come around the outside down the home straight and outsprint Canada’s Marco Arop to win in another new personal best time of 1:43.27. Arop was second in 1:43.30, showing just how close the sprint battle was.

Africa’s fastest men continue to shine – Paris Diamond League

The men’s 100m continues to provide a talking point at this year’s Diamond League meets. This time there was no Fred Kerley in the pack so all eyes were on Olympic champion Marcell Jacobs, who has missed the previous few races through injury. Nevertheless, 200m world champion Noah Lyles took the win in 9.97 with two African sprinters completing the podium. Kenyan Ferdinand Omanyala displayed his consistency, finishing just a hundredth of a second back in 9.98, with young Letsile Tebogo from Botswana third in 10.05. Jacobs finished a distant seventh in 10.21.

Jebitok soars to world lead over one mile – World Athletics Continental Tour, Poland

Kenya’s Edinah Jebitok made the most of ideal conditions in the first track race of the 5th Irena Swewinska Memorial World Athletics Continental Tour meet in Bydgoszcz, Poland. The 21-year-old had finished in a disappointing ninth place in the 1500m at the FBK Games in Hengelo a week before. But this time she made sure she was out in front, taking the lead before the bell and surging to victory in a world-leading time of 4:22.85. Ethiopia’s Ksanet Alem was second in 4:24.29.

Promising 800m showing for Kiprotich in Spain – World Athletics Continental Tour, Huelva

Another Kenyan middle-distance star was proving herself at the Meeting Iberoamericano in Huelva, Spain. Vivian Chebet Kiprotich made her move with 200m to go to comfortably claim the 800m title in a time personal best time of 1:58.80 – the 10th fastest time in the world this year.

Record-breakers Dijana and Steyn dominate the Ultimate Human Race – Comrades Marathon

It was a record-breaking day in Durban as both the men’s and women’s down run records were obliterated at the gruelling 87.7km Comrades Marathon. South Africa’s defending champion Tete Dijana fended off Dutchman Piet Wiersma to go back-to-back and take top honours in an impressive new record time of 5 hours 13.58 minutes, over four minutes quicker than the previous mark. And it was also mission accomplished for his compatriot Gerda Steyn who claimed the women’s race in a remarkable 5:44.54 to better the mark set by Frith van der Merwe 34 years ago by almost 10 minutes.