## Pre Classic Women: A Historic Double World Record Earthquake
The 2023 Prefontaine Classic, held at Hayward Field on September 17th, wasn’t just another Diamond League meet. It became an indelible chapter in track and field history, witnessing an unprecedented spectacle: **two women’s world records shattered within a single, electrifying session.**
The seismic tremors began with the **women’s 1500m.** Kenya’s **Faith Kipyegon**, already the Olympic champion and world record holder (3:50.37), lined up with an aura of invincibility. From the gun, she dictated the tempo, shielded by pacers through the early laps. But the real show started when the rabbits stepped off. Kipyegon, running utterly alone against the clock and history, accelerated into another dimension.
Her final lap was a masterclass in power and grace. Surging down the backstretch and around the final bend, she drove towards the line with relentless determination. The Hayward Field crowd, sensing immortality, roared her home. When the clock stopped at **3:49.11**, the stadium erupted. Kipyegon had obliterated her own world record by over a second, a staggering improvement that seemed almost impossible. Her victory lap was pure, unadulterated joy.
The track had barely cooled when the **women’s 5000m** contenders took their marks. Ethiopia’s **Gudaf Tsegay**, the 1500m world champion stepping up in distance, was the favorite, but the world record (14:06.62 by Letesenbet Gidey) seemed a distant target. Pacers set a strong, honest pace, stringing the field out early. Tsegay, running with controlled aggression, stayed locked onto the leaders.
As the race passed 3000m, it was clear something special was brewing. Tsegay and Kenyan-born Bahraini runner **Beatrice Chebet** broke away. With two laps to go, Tsegay made her decisive move, shifting into a gear no one could match. Chebet fought valiantly, but Tsegay was flying. Her final kilometer was a devastating display of speed endurance. Rounding the final bend, her eyes widened seeing the clock.
She sprinted with every ounce of strength, lunging across the line. The clock flashed **14:00.21**. Hayward Field detonated for the second time in under an hour. Tsegay had not only broken Gidey’s record; she had smashed through the mythical 14-minute barrier, becoming the first woman ever to run the 5000m in under 14:01. Chebet’s second-place 14:05.92 was also the third-fastest time ever, underlining the race’s historic quality.
**The Significance:** Two world records in one session at a single meet is almost unthinkable in modern athletics. Kipyegon’s 1500m run redefined the event’s limits, while Tsegay’s 5000m shattered a monumental barrier. Both performances showcased supreme tactical execution, physical dominance, and mental fortitude. It was a day where Hayward Field lived up to its “Track Town USA” legacy, providing the stage, and Faith Kipyegon and Gudaf Tsegay delivered performances for the ages. September 17th, 2023, became etched in history as the day women’s distance running took two giant, record-shattering leaps forward, all within the span of one unforgettable hour at the Pre Classic.