RECORD-BREAKING BRILLIANCE IN PARIS

RUTH JEBET SMASHES WORLD STEEPLECHASE RECORD AND LAURA MUIR AGAIN BREAKS BRITISH BEST OVER 1500M

RUTH JEBET and Laura Muir were among those in record-breaking form in Paris as the Diamond League series moved on to its last event before the two finals in Zurich and Brussels.

After coming close to the world steeplechase record when winning the Olympic title in Rio, Jebet smashed the eight-year-old mark with a time of 8:52.78 in the French capital.

Ruth Jebet: destroyed the world steeplechase record

PICTURES: JP DURAND

On a hot evening which reached 33°C at the Stade de France, the Kenyan-born 19-year-old, who represents Bahrain, took more than six seconds off the world record which had been set by Russia’s Gulnara Galkina in 2008 and finished more than nine seconds clear ahead of Kenya’s world champion Hyvin Jepkemoi, who had claimed silver behind Jebet in Rio.

Emma Coburn had improved her own American record with 9:07.63 for bronze in Rio and she was again third in Paris, clocking 9:10.19.

Laura Muir: improved her own British 1500 metres record to 3:55.22

Jebet had been on world record pace as the first kilometre was passed in 2:56.36 and that continued as she went through 2000m with 5:54.16 on the clock.

“Today I’m very happy,” said Jebet. “I tried many times to beat the world record and today we decided to push each other to go for a good time.

“I was not expecting such a big difference with the record. I think I finished my season today.”

Just 10 days after her seventh place finish in Rio, Laura Muir ran a phenomenal 1500m to take another two seconds off her own recently set British 1500m record, dominating the Diamond League race to clock a world-leading 3:55.22 to also break the meeting record.