There will be a formal attempt at the world record in an event at the 71st Boris Hanžeković Memorial – the women’s 2000 metres.
Although some of the world’s greatest middle distance runners have run in the 2000m in the past – Sonia O’Sullivan, Maricica Puica, Tatyana Kazankina, Zola Budd – the world record is currently considered to be 5:23.75, which Genzebe Dibaba ran indoors in 2017. And that is the result that a select group of top athletes is about to attack in Zagreb.
Sticking out among them is Francine Niyonsaba, former world and Olympic vice-champion in the 800m, who is also excellent at long distances now. She won in the 5000m (14:25.34) in Brussels as well as at the Wanda Diamond League final in Zurich. Another runner that must be mentioned is Freweyni Gebreezibeher, who finished fourth in the 1500m at the Tokyo Olympics and whose personal best in the 1500m is 3:56.28.
There are also very experienced Mercy Cherono, former world vice-champion and 5000m Olympic finalist and Meraf Bahta, former 5000m European champion.
Finally, there are also two excellent young middle distance runners – former 1500m junior world champion Alemaz Samuel and winner of the African Games in the 800 metres Hirut Meshesha.
Zagreb’s Mladost Stadium is definitely the place to be at 19:40 on Tuesday, 14 September, because no world records have been broken at the Boris Hanžeković Memorial yet.