How mind blowing was the Women's 10,000 meter final in Rio?
Facts...
* First in my enthusiasm I wrote earlier today that she would have won a gold in the men's 10,000 meter race in London. What I meant to write was...she would have won a 🏅gold medal in the women's 5,000 meter in London.
* Her negative split over the last 5k was 14:30.64 over 10 seconds faster than the Olympic record in the 5,000 meters! (Record is 14:40.9 set in 2000 Sydney games.)
* 18 women in the field of 35 ran a personal best!
* 8 national records (counting Ayana’s Ethiopian record) and almost half the field (17 of 35 finishers) recording PR's. The national records went to Cheruiyot for Kenya, Huddle in sixth for the USA (also a North American record), Sarah Lahti of Sweden, Diane Nukuri of Burundi, Alexi Pappas of Greece, Darya Maslova of Kyrgyzstan, and Sitora Hamidova of Uzbekistan.
* Before this race, only five women had run under 30:00 in the history of women's 10,000. Today 4 runners broke the mark!!
* This was Almaz Ayana's second race at this distance!!