Dutch distance runner takes 10 seconds off Almaz Ayana’s global mark with stunning display at the FBK Games in the Netherlands

When Sifan Hassan was born in early 1993, the world record for the women’s 10,000m stood at 30:13.74 courtesy of Ingrid Kristiansen. The sport was stunned in the summer of ’93 when Wang Junxia of China took a huge chunk off the mark with 29:31.78 and then, at the Rio Olympics five years ago, Almaz Ayana of Ethiopia sliced a further 14 seconds off the record with 29:17.45.

On Sunday (June 6) in Hengelo, Hassan ran 29:06.82 to take almost 11 seconds from Ayana’s mark. Cruising through each kilometre in about 2:55-56 – passing halfway in 14:38 – and knocking out the final 1000m in 2:45, the 28-year-old Dutch runner added to the world mile record that she already holds. In addition, she has set world records in the one-hour run and 5km too.

After winning the world 1500m and 10,000m titles in Doha in 2019, she will now go into the Olympics as strong favourite to win whichever events she chooses to compete in.

“Wow, to run this world record here today in Hengelo is something I could only dream of,” said Hassan, who lapped the entire field despite her closest pursuers beating the Olympic qualifying standard.

“It’s the perfect confirmation of the hard work we’ve put in getting ready for Tokyo. I am so happy to share this record in front of my Dutch fans!”

These 40th FBK Games are named in honour of Fanny Blankers-Koen. The Dutch athlete was one of the stars of the 1948 Olympics but at those Games the longest running race for women was a mere 200m.

How times have changed. The 10,000m was introduced into the Olympic programme for women in 1988 and Hassan is around three minutes quicker than the early female pioneers of the event in the late 1970s and early 1980s.