The Hague : Reigning world champion Sifan Hassan shrugged off cold and rainy conditions to break the women’s 10,000-metre European record at the FBK After Summer Competition in Hengelo, the Netherlands, on Saturday.The 27-year-old Dutchwoman clocked 29 minutes, 36.67 seconds to win the 25-lap race, chopping almost 25 seconds off the previous European record of 30:01.09 set by Britain’s Paula Radcliffe in 2002.”I am so happy to have run a new European record, especially a record that has stood for so long by such a strong athlete as Paula,” she said, Xinhua news agency reported.”It was a very difficult race today as it was so cold and wet. I was feeling really strong today and wished for a bit better conditions, but this record gives me a lot of confidence.”Hassan’s winning mark is also the fourth fastest in history for the distance, falling some 19 seconds short of the world record of 29:17.45 set by Ethiopia’s Almaz Ayana at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio.As the reigning 1,500m and 10,000m world champion, Hassan now holds world records at one mile and one hour, and European records at 1,500m, 3,000m, 5,000m and 10,000m, as well as the half marathon.
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