World records fall in Olympics warm-up
Ukraine's Yaroslava Mahuchikh and Kenyan Faith Kipyegon hit world record-breaking form at Sunday's Diamond League meet in Paris in the perfect boost before the Olympics kick off in three weeks' time in the French capital. Mahuchikh broke the 37-year-old women's high jump world record, while Kipyegon improved her own record in the women's 1,500m, two results that will make them two of the stars to watch in Paris. World champion Mahuchikh set a new best of 2.10m, beating by 1cm the record set by Bulgaria's Stefka Kostadinova at the 1987 world championships in Rome. "Coming into this competition, I had feelings that I could jump 2.07m and maybe 2.10m," said Mahuchikh. "Finally, I signed Ukraine into the history of world athletics." In the 1,500m, led out by two pacemakers, two-time defending Olympic champion Kipyegon broke to the front and clocked 3min 49.04sec in a superb display of running. It improved by 0.07sec her previous best set in Florence in June 2023. "Wow this is just amazing! I am so happy to break the world record over my favourite distance again," said Kipyegon. "I can't wait to come back to Paris to defend my Olympic title!" Armand "Mondo" Duplantis went close in a bid to better his own pole vault world record in an afternoon of top-class track and field that featured a stunning men's 800m, while French decathlete Kevin Mayer took a worrying tumble in the 110m hurdles. There was a distinctly Olympic tinge to proceedings at a packed Stade Charlety in southern Paris. The stadium was awash with tricolour flags, Olympic mascots and a lot of blue after organisers asked fans to come dressed in the colour to support home athletes. It did not work for decathlon world record holder Mayer, who tumbled to the ground in the hurdles, the third event of a triathlon also including the shot put and long jump. Mayer received medical attention before being helped off the track. In better news for the hosts, Sasha Zhoya equalled his personal best of 13.15sec to win the 110m hurdles in a photo finish from American Trey Cunningham. (AFP)