Ethiopian Gudaf Tsegay trips in women’s mile indoor world record attempt

Johannesburg - Following a fall in the early stages of the race, Ethiopian Gudaf Tsegay failed in her attempt to set a new world record in the women’s indoor mile event but still collected an impressive victory at the World Athletics Indoor Tour Gold meeting in Lievin on Thursday evening.

Just over a year ago, Tsegay set a new women’s world indoor 1500m record of 3:53.09 at the same event. This time, the target was the 4:13.31 mile world record held by countrywoman Genzebe Dibaba.

The 24-year-old Tsegay, however, tripped on the first lap. Though she didn’t injure herself, it meant her chances of running a new world record were gone. By the second lap Tsegay had moved back to the front behind the pacemaker, but did not look comfortable.

Fellow Ethiopian Axumawit Embaye challenged for the win in the latter stages of the race, but Tsegay still had enough to take victory in 4:21.72. Embaye was a distant second in 4:25.30. Tsegay’s time broke the meeting record which had stood for 20 years, and was also a new personal best by over four seconds.

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Another event which had been eyed as a potential world record chance was the men’s 3000m. The three Ethiopian athletes - Selemon Barega, Getnet Wale and Lamecha Girma - who came close to the world record of 7:24.9 last year were back to push each other once more.

At the halfway stage, the pacemaker was two seconds ahead of the rest of the field and it meant a world record attempt was now off the table. Instead, it proved to be a three-pronged battle between Barega, Wale and Girma.

The top three places were decided only on the final straight with Girma taking victory in 7:30.54, with Barega second in 7:30.66 and Wale