Ethiopian runs 7:52.11 for 3000m ‘chase at a spectacular Paris Diamond League event on Friday

On a magical night of world record-breaking at the Paris Diamond League, Lamecha Girma broke the 19-year-old steeplechase mark held by Saif Saaeed Shaheen with 7:52.11.

Following a world best for two miles from Jakob Ingebrigtsen and world 5000m record by Faith Kipyegon, Girma took to the track in the penultimate event of a remarkable evening and the Ethiopian glided around the track to beat Shaheen’s 7:53.63, which was set in Brussels in 2004.

Earlier this year Girma broke Daniel Komen’s long-standing world indoor 3000m record with 7:23.81 in Lievin. And here he returned to France looking for another global mark.

Passing 1000m in 2:37.7 and 2000m in 5:12.5, he was already on his own and looking in supreme form as he continued his attack on Shaheen’s mark.

??? Paris sees its third world record of the night as Lamecha Girma of Ethiopia runs 7:52.11 to take down Saif Saaeed Shaheen’s 19-year-old mark by just over a second in the 3000m steeplechase. pic.twitter.com/aecnHSZ3y8

— AW (@AthleticsWeekly) June 9, 2023

On the final lap it became clear he was going to break the record as he was a few metres ahead of the Wavelight pacing system. So it proved as he stormed home, finishing 17 seconds ahead of Ryuji Miura, who ran a Japanese record of 8:09.91 in second.

Missing from this race was Soufiane El Bakkali, but the Moroccan is in good form himself and a head to head would be a mouth-watering prospect.

The duo finished one-two at the Olympics and last year’s World Championships with El Bakkali coming out top each time.