European 10,000m record-breaker has decided to end her season early

Sifan Hassan will not be racing at the World Athletics Half Marathon Championships in Gdynia, instead deciding to end her season, which has included world and European record-breaking performances, earlier than originally planned.

The 27-year-old smashed Dire Tune’s world one-hour record by covering 18,930m on the track at the Van Damme Memorial meeting in Brussels last month before she ran 29:36.67 in the rain to break Paula Radcliffe’s European 10,000m record in Hengelo on Saturday.

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The world 1500m and 10,000m champion had next been set to line up as part of the Netherlands team at the World Athletics Half Marathon Championships in Poland on Saturday (October 17), where she would have been among the favourites, but she has decided with her coach Tim Rowberry to end her season.

After a short break, she will begin preparing for Olympic year.

“It has been a tough year, the uncertainty of competitions going ahead was always part of my training regime,” said Hassan. “To focus and push yourself every day in training is difficult, especially when you don’t know if it will be possible to deliver performances in a competition environment.

“The season was short, but the lead up to it was long. Therefore I decided to give myself some rest and focus for next year. I want to make sure I will be in top shape physically and mentally next year at the Olympic Games.

“I am very proud of my performances this season, the world hour record and the European record this weekend. Those results give me good faith that I am able to reach my highest potential, also in uncertain times. Therefore I look forward to next year with a lot of confidence.”