On May 20, 2007, after tiny Meseret Defar broke the world best for two miles, with her solo 9:10.57, she commented, "I am in good shape. I am focusing my training on Osaka and Beijing." Well, Ms. Defar is in fantastic shape.
On Friday evening, June 15, 2007, on a cool Scandanavian evening, Meseret Defar of Ethiopia destroyed her own world record for 5,000 meters, set one year plus one week ago in Reebok NY Games, by nearly eight seconds! Her final time was 14:16.63, to the delight of the Oslo Bislett Games fans, the first stop on the IAAF Golden League this year! What a start to the Golden League!
Defar won by six seconds over Kenyan runner Vivian Cheruiyot, who ran 14:22.51, also under the old standard of 14:24.53, set 53 weeks ago. Defar, who runs focused and with a ferocious stare, took no prisoners in this race as she raced the clock becoming the first women under 14:20 for 5,000 meters!
How monumental is Defar's world record? Meseret's time would have won every 5,000 meters in the Olympics up to and including the 1948 London Games! The 2004 5,000 meter gold medalist and 2005 silver medalist is going strong and looking amazing for Osaka!
Visit IAAF Golden League for complete results on the first of the IAAF Golden League meetings.
For more information on the Oslo Bislett Games and results, please check www.iaaf.org!
News Title: Defar: 'I had no doubts' - IAAF Golden League
15 June 2007 - Oslo, Norway - About two-thirds of the way through her record-breaking run at the ExxonMobil Bislett Games - IAAF Golden League 2007 - Meseret Defar knew that she truly was on the road to something special. In fact, she said, she was feeling so good on this still, nearly perfect evening that there was absolutely no uncertainty in her mind that she would break her own World record in the 5000 metres.
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