The Cologne Mohamed Abdilaahi caused a bang at the Diamond League meeting in Monaco on Friday evening. The Cologne native broke the almost 28 -year -old German record of Olympic champion Dieter Baumann over 5000 m.
Abdilaahi remained in the Diamond League meeting in Monaco in 12: 53.63 minutes for the first time under 13 minutes and more than a second under Baumann’s time of August 13, 1997 (12: 54.70). On the final straight he fought for second place behind winners Yomif Kejelcha (Ethiopia/12: 49.46), in the end he became strong fourth after a brave race and cheered the record.
“I almost briefly came to tears, honestly. I have been trying to crack this brand for three years,” said Mönchengladbacher of the Sportschau. “When Dieter Baumann ran it, I wasn’t in the world at all. An incredible brand that I could break. It goes ahead in German athletics and I am glad that I can be part of it.”
With “Mega self-awareness” To the World Cup
It wasn’t until June 6th that Robert Farken broke the almost 45 -year -old German record over 1500 m. Two weeks earlier, Frederik Ruppert (Tübingen) clearly undercut the national top mark over 3000 meters of obstacle. Nine weeks before the start of the World Cup in Tokyo, Abdilaahi cracked the direct standard for the world title fights (13.01).
“This gives me a mega self-awareness that I could be fourth in such a field,” cheered the 26-year-old. “Now it means not overpowing, but running smart, training smartly and I am sure that I can then perform at the World Cup.”