Hassan takes almost 25 seconds off the European 10,000m record



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Sifan Hassan comfortably broke the European 10,000 meter record © Getty Images

Dutch star Sifan Hassan has broken the European record of 10,000 meters, taking more than 24 seconds from Paula Radcliffe’s best continental mark, which had been held for 18 years.

Competing at Hengelo in the Netherlands, Hassan covered the distance in 29min 36.67sec.

Britiain’s Radcliffe ran 30: 01.09 at the 2002 European Championships in Munich.

Hassan had been aiming for a world record but had to settle for the best of Europe in steamy and humid conditions, even though his time was the fourth fastest ever.

Ethiopia’s Almaz Ayana set the 10,000m women’s world record – 29: 17.45 – at the 2016 Rio Olympics.

Hassan, who last month set a new world record for the distance traveled in one hour, benefited from Wavelight technology.

This technology sees a series of lights on the inner rail of the track that indicates to the athlete the ideal pace to run.

Hassan broke the one-hour world record earlier this year © Getty Images
Hassan broke the one-hour world record earlier this year © Getty Images

He helped Joshua Cheptegei of Uganda set a new men’s 10,000m record earlier this week.

“I am very happy to have achieved a new European record, especially a record that has been held for so long by an athlete as strong as Paula,” Hassan said.

“It was a very difficult race today because of the cold and the rain.

“I was feeling very strong today and wanted a little better conditions, but this record gives me a lot of confidence.”

Hasan is the world champion over 10,000m and 1,500m, as well as holding the world record for miles.

She was trained by Alberto Salazar from 2016 until the United States Anti-Doping Agency banned her for four years during last year’s World Championships in Athletics.



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