It only took two days…two days for Sifan Hassan’s 10,000m world record to fall. The elation of breaking the record, and by over ten full seconds, coupled with having it snatched away before the smoke cleared, is quite the sting.

Letesenbet Gidey, the 23-year-old Ethiopian runner, took an additional 5.79 seconds off of Hassan’s record. This story is riddled with irony.

Not only is Hassan an Ethiopian-born runner herself, now representing the Nederlands, but Gidey ran the new record on the exact same track Hassan recently broke the record. The 10,000m race has now been cut by over 30 seconds in the last 5 years. A record no one came close to for over 20 years.

If that’s not an argument for new shoe technology and pace lights, consider the following: both the men’s and women’s world records for the marathon, 10,000m, and 5,000m have all be set in the last few years.

For further context with these two women, in particular, Gidey now holds the women’s world record in the 10,000m and the 5,000m which she set earlier this year. Hassan, until today, held the world records in the 10,000m, 5k road race, the mile, and the one-hour run.

This is unprecedented, exciting, and intriguing. But what it really is, is a good indication that the Tokyo Olympics are going to be one hell of a ride.

What are your thoughts on all the new distance running records being obliterated?