South Africa’s Tshepo Tshite delivered a stunning performance at the Diamond League meeting in Paris on Friday night, breaking the long-standing national 1 500m record in a blistering race that featured some of the world’s fastest middle-distance athletes.
Tshite, 28, crossed the line in 3:31.35, shaving more than half a second off the previous South African record of 3:31.93 set by Johan Cronje in 2013.
It was Tshite’s first national outdoor record, adding to his existing South African indoors records in both the 1 500m (3:35.06) and the mile (3:54.10).
Fastest in recent history
While Tshepo Tshite finished ninth in a stacked field, the race was one of the fastest in recent history.
France’s Azeddine Habz took the win in 3:27.49, setting the fastest time in the world this year and dragging five other runners under the 3:30 barrier.
Athletics South Africa (ASA) president James Moloi praised Tshite’s achievement while also calling for broader performance improvement across the national team ahead of major competitions, including the upcoming World Championships in Japan this September.
“As we congratulate Tshite for achieving his feat of breaking a record, we also take the opportunity to encourage all athletes to drastically improve their performances in order to reach podium positions,” said Moloi.
“We don’t take anything away from him – for a national record is always an achievement to be celebrated.
“It becomes a new benchmark for others.
“We therefore congratulate Tshite, his coach, and all of his support staff.”
Meanwhile, in the men’s 5 000m event, fellow South African Adriaan Wildschutt finished 14th in 13:28.67, well behind Ethiopia’s Yomif Kejelcha, who stormed to victory in a world-class 12:47.84.
The next leg of the Diamond League series will take place in Eugene, Oregon in the United States on Saturday, 5 July.
NOTE: All South African records are subject to official ratification.
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