A world record assault will once again be staged at the 26th XL Galan meeting in Stockholm tonight, with last year’s indoor superstar Genzebe Dibaba going after the 5,000m record this time around. The  Ethiopian set three World records in 2014 within the span of two weeks, the second of those coming in Stockholm in the 3,000m, running a remarkable 8:16.60. Her other record-breaking marks were 3:55.17 (1500m), and 9:00.48 (2-mile). 

XL GALAN RESULTS

The current indoor World record is 14:24.37, held by fellow Ethiopian Meseret Defar since 2009. That mark was also set in Stockholm, and has not been scared by another athlete since then. The next fastest mark by a woman other than Defar since the record was broken is Kim Smith’s 14:39.29 from 2009. Dibaba herself has run 14:28.88 outdoors, set last July in Monaco.

 

Dibaba faces a tough go tonight in Stockholm to break the record. 5,000m is not traditionally a distance that is run fastest indoors rather than outdoors, and even Defar’s outdoor PB (14:12.88) is nearly 12 seconds faster than her indoor record. Dibaba has never run an indoor 5,000m, and tonight will be her 2015 debut. One may be tempted to doubt her ability to surpass Defar in Stockholm, but the young Ethiopian clearly set a precedent for breaking records with her ridiculous trio of marks last winter. Expect the unexpected. 

 

The men’s 1500m should be a dandy as well. Current world-leader Homiyu Tesfaye will look to lower his 3:35.71 German record that he set just five days ago in Austria. The Kenyan cuatro of Silas Kiplagat, Collins Cheboi, Bethwel Birgen, and Vincent Kibet have an average outdoor 1500m PB of 3:29, with Kiplagat having run 3:27.64 last summer, the 12th fastest of all time. 

 

Stayed tuned to Flotrack for breaking news updates from Stockholm.