RIO DE JANEIRO—Almaz Ayana of Ethiopia delivered a stunning start to track and field at the Olympics with a world record in the 10,000 meters Friday, wiping away the competition just after the halfway point and striding to victory with effortless grace.
After crossing the finish line, she raised her hands in triumph and came to a stop, fully realizing what she had done: Her time of 29 minutes, 17.45, had shaved 14.33 seconds off the 1993 mark of China’s Wang Junxia.
At age 24, she beat the best from a previous generation. Kenya’s Vivian Cheruiyot, 32, a four-time long- distance world champion came in second, a massive 15.18 seconds behind. Ayana’s 31-year-old teammate Tirunesh Dibaba took bronze.
Ethiopia's Almaz Ayana during the athletics competitions of the 2016 Summer Olympics at the Olympic stadium in Rio de Janeiro on Aug. 12, 2016. AP Photo/Morry Gash
