The women’s world record in the mile run, which has stood for 23 years, finally fell on Friday.
The Netherlands’ Sifan Hassan broke the record Friday night at the Monaco Diamond League with a time of 4:12.33.
Hassan took the lead with 600 meters remaining in the race and did not look back. The next closest runner was Great Britain’s Laura Weightman, with a time of 4:17.60.
Russia’s Svetlana Masterkova set the world record in 1996 with 4:12.56.
“I knew I could run fast but the first 800 was a bit slow, so after that I wasn’t thinking it would be a world record,” Hassan said in a statement from the International Association of Athletics Federations. “When I crossed the line I was so surprised.
“After you run a last 400 like that, and set a world record, it gives me so much confidence over 5000m.”
The 26-year-old Dutch runner’s previous best time was 4:14.71, set last year at the London Diamond League meet. Her new record shaved more than two seconds off that time.
Theathletic association has Hassan ranked No. 2 in the women’s 10,000 meters, 1,500 meters and 5,000 meters. Her overall ranking is sixth, which should increase after this record win.
This win is Hassan’s fifth first-place finish this year.
