Gudaf Tsegay aimed to break the 3000m indoor world record in Lievin but fell short, finishing second in a challenging season opener.
Ethiopian distance sensation Gudaf Tsegay went to the meeting in Lievin on Thursday night with the hope of breaking the 3000m indoor world record but failed to achieve her goal.
The indoor world record stands at 8:16.60 and was set by Genzebe Dibaba in 2014 and Tsegay came close to it at the event in 2024 but this season has started on a low note for the Ethiopian talent.
Gudaf Tsegay finished second behind Freweyni Hailu in the 3000m on Thursday, clocking a slow 8:25.12 to cross the finish line. This is because she had gone into the race to go one place better and attack the world record.
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Speaking after the race, Tsegay explained that she was unaware of what happened in the last lap of the race as things were going really well when she started.
“My legs ran out on the last lap. I don’t understand. It wasn’t the world record attempt I was hoping for, but I was happy to race here and as you can see I can still smile,” she said.
The competition was her first race of the season following a very rough 2024 season that saw her exit the Paris Olympic Games with no medal.
The two-time world champion hopes to have a great 2025 season, being the defending champion in the 10,000m, a title she won at the World Championships in Budapest, Hungary.
In Paris in the 1500m, she finished a distant 12th before finishing sixth in the 10,000m final. In the controversial 5000m final race, Tsegay finished a distant ninth place.
After the Paris Olympic Games, Gudaf Tsegay returned to competition at Alexis Ohanian’s women-only event, Athlos, where she finished fourth in the 1500m.
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Before the Olympic Games, Gudaf Tsegay competed indoors and claimed a silver medal in the 3000m at the World Indoor Championships in Glasgow, Scotland.
Tsegay then won the 1500m at the Diamond League Meeting in Xiamen. She attempted to break the 10,000m world record at the Prefontaine Classic but Beatrice Chebet stole the show with her record-breaking run.
Gudaf Tsegay was forced to finish second in the race, clocking 29:05.92 to cross the finish line behind Chebet.
