Yaroslava Mahuchikh and Faith Kipyegon both set world records at the Diamond League track and field meeting in Paris on Sunday. First the Ukrainian high jumper erased a mark that had stood for 37 years, before the Kenyan middle-distance runner lowered the 1500m record she set last June.
Mahuchikh, the world champion, was elated after setting a new best mark of 2.10 metres. “Coming into this competition, I had feelings that I could jump 2.07 metres and maybe 2.10 metres,” Mahuchikh said. “Finally I signed Ukraine to the history of world athletics.” The previous record of 2.09m was set by Bulgaria’s Stefka Kostadinova in Rome in 1987.
The 22-year-old Mahuchikh and Nicola Olyaslagers, the world indoor champion, cleared 2.01m on their second attempt. After Olyslagers failed three times at 2.03m, Mahuchikh cleared that height to secure victory.
She then cleared 2.07m to set a Ukrainian record and had the bar raised to 2.10m, which she cleared on her first try.
In the final event of the meeting, Kipyegon, aided by two pacemakers, ran majestically for a time of 3min 49.04sec, which took seven hundredths off the 3:49.11 she ran in Florence last year, and places an impressive marker on the event by the winner of the last two Olympics.
Jessica Hull set an Australian record in second place, with 3:50.83 – the fifth fastest time ever, while Britain’s Laura Muir set a British record of 3:53.79 in third. Only two of the 13 finishers did not set personal bests.
