Ukraine's Mahuchikh, Kenya's Kipyegon break world records at Paris Diamond League
CBC
Two world records fell at the Diamond League track and field meeting in Paris on Sunday.
Yaroslava Mahuchikh of Ukraine erased a mark that stood for 37 years in the women's high jump, while Kenya's Faith Kipyegon bettered her own world record in the women's 1,500 metres.
Mahuchikh, the reigning women's high jump world champion, set a new best mark of 2.10m.
"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 2.09 was set by Bulgaria's Stefka Kostadinova in Rome in 1987.
The 22-year-old Mahuchikh and world indoor champion Nicola Olyaslagers both cleared 2.01 meters on their second attempt. After Olyslagers failed three times at 2.03, Mahuchikh cleared that height to secure victory.
She then cleared 2.07 meters to set a Ukrainian record and had the bar raised to 2.10, which she cleared on her first try.
WATCH | Mahuchikh breaks women's high jump world record in Paris:
Not too long after Mahuchikh celebrated one world record, Kipyegon broke another.
The Kenyan runner finished the women's 1,500m in three minutes 49.04 seconds, surpassing her record of 3:49.11, which was set in Italy last year.
"I knew the world record was possible because I recently ran very fast in Kenya," said Kipyegon, who clocked 3:53.98 at Kenya's Olympic Trials. "I was coming here to just run my race and to see what shape I'm in to defend my title at the Olympics."
The 30-year-old Kipyegon is a two-time Olympic gold medallist in the 1,500, having won in Rio de Janeiro in 2016 and Tokyo in 2021, and a four-time world champion.
WATCH | Kipyegon sets new record in Paris:
In other notable action at Sunday's meet, Canada's Charles Philibert-Thiboutot set a new national record in the men's 3,000m distance.
