World records set by CJ Albertson, Jakob Ingebrigtsen and Aleksandr Sorokin have been ratified.
Albertson’s was the first of the three marks to be set, as he clocked 2:38:43 to break the world 50km record at the Ruth Anderson Memorial Endurance Run in San Francisco on 8 October 2022.
Despite his training being marathon focused, USA’s Albertson decided to test himself over the longer distance and took 90 seconds off the previous 50km record of 2:40:13 achieved by South Africa’s Stephen Mokoka in Gqeberha on 6 March 2022.
Albertson ran at an average pace of 5:05 per mile on the 4.5-mile loop course around Lake Merced to achieve his feat.
CJ Albertson clocks 2:38:43 for 50km at the Ruth Anderson Memorial Endurance Run (© Organisers)
Another ultra-running record was set seven months later, when Lithuania’s Sorokin clocked 6:05:35 for 100km at the Nord Security World’s Fastest Run in Vilnius on 14 May 2023.
That performance was an improvement of three minutes and 39 seconds on the previous official world 100km record of 6:09:14, set by Japan’s Nao Kazami on 24 June 2018.
Competing on a 1.644km circuit in the Lithuanian capital, Sorokin covered the marathon distance in about 2:32:30 and maintained that rhythm as he reached half way in just under 3:02, putting him well on course to break Kazami’s record.
Aleksandr Sorokin in action in Vilnius
On the track, Norway’s Ingebrigtsen set his first outdoor world record, running 4:43.13 for 2000m at the Wanda Diamond League meeting in Brussels on 8 September 2023.
Following the two miles world best of 7:54.10 he set in Paris and world indoor 1500m record of 3:30.60 he achieved in Lievin, Ingebrigtsen this time improved the world 2000m record of 4:44.79 that had been set by Morocco’s Hicham El Guerrouj in Berlin on 7 September 1999.
The pace target for the halfway mark was 2:21, but the time had drifted out at that point to 2:22.28. After the last pacemaker moved aside with just over 600 metres remaining, Ingebrigtsen was off on his solo mission and he managed to beat the clock.
Ingebrigtsen will target more success in the Diamond League in 2024 as he works towards the defence of his 1500m title in the No.1 Olympic sport at the Games in Paris in August.
Credit: World Athletics
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