Kipyegon and Gidey, a duel between world record holders in the women’s 5,000 m

On 7 October 2020 in Valencia (Spain), Ethiopian athlete Letesenbet Gidey succeeded compatriots Meseret Defar and Tirunesh Dibaba in the race for the 5,000 m world record, completing the course in 14’06’’62. The legendary fourteen-minute barrier is within reach now and, three years on, it might well tumble during the Wanda Diamond League Meeting de Paris. A triple world record holder, who has also netted the 10,000 m (29’01’’03) and half-marathon (1h02’52’’) titles, the 25-year-old middle-distance runner has shown on multiple occasions that she’s bang on track in her battle against the clock. She’ll have a wonderful opportunity to confirm this in the French capital, where she is competing for the first time.

That said, it’s hard to imagine her going it alone on Charléty’s blue track, since the reigning world champion in the 10,000 m will have to pit herself against the talent of Faith Kipyegon. The Kenya wrote a brand-new page in the history of athletics at last Friday’s Wanda Diamond League Meeting in Florence by becoming the first woman to run a sub-3’50’’ time over 1,500 m in 3’49’’11. This prodigious time featured some crazy lap times, the last two of which were completed in under two minutes.

The double Olympic champion and four-time podium finisher at the Worlds, earning herself two titles, the 29-year-old athlete from the Rift Valley is a legend of the sport and perhaps, already, the greatest female mile runner of all time. As such, there are high hopes as she ventures into the 5,000 m competition in the best shape of her life. Her record over the distance - 14’31’’95 - will likely be shattered in this her first appearance in the French capital since 2017 (2nd in the 1,500 m). It remains to be seen how far she can take it.

If we add to the mix the young (23-year-old) Ethiopian Ejgayehu Taye, who ran the best time in the world in 2022 in 14’12’’95 and was world 5 km record holder in 14’19’’, the basic foundations for the race could well go crazy. That is, on the condition that the race favourites can keep pace with the rhythm set by the three pacesetters, including Kenyan Beatrice Chepkoech, another world record holder, albeit in the 3,000 m steeplechase (8’44’’32).

Girma also gearing his sights on a record

In addition to those competing in the 5,000 m, the French Athletics Federation (FFA), organiser of the Wanda Diamond League Meeting de Paris, has unveiled the names of the new headline acts who are joining an already outstanding line-up. Still in the middle-distance category, Ethiopian Lamecha Girma could well take on the world 3,000 m steeplechase record (7’53’’63 by Saif Saaeed Shaheen in 2004) having already posted the best ever time over the indoor 3,000 m (7’23’’81). In the 800 m, the top five athletes from the last Worlds will all be on the start line, including medallists Emmanuel Korir (Kenya), Djamel Sedjati (Algeria) and Marco Arop (Canada).

In the sprint category, Meeting de Paris regular Marie-Josée Ta Lou from the Ivory Coast, is joining an already impressive 200 m start list, which includes Briton Dina Asher-Smith and American Abby Steiner. Another well-known name among sprint fans, the highly experienced Yohan Blake will attempt to rediscover his second youth on the heels of Italian Marcell Jacobs and American Noah Lyles. In the women’s lap of the track, American Sydney McLaughlin will have her work cut out against Dominican Marileidy Paulino (48’’99) as well as Bahraini Salwa Eid Naser, world champion in 2019.

In the field competitions, Greek jumper Miltiadis Tentoglou, reigning Olympic champion and five-time world champion, will be the man to beat in the long jump. Finally, Croatian Sandra Perkovic has yet to say her final word in the discus, even against an athlete of the calibre of American Valarie Allman.