Ethiopia's Almaz Ayana demolished the women's 10,000-metre world record to win gold in the first athletics final of the 2016 Rio Olympics on Friday, finishing her race in a time of 29 minutes and 17.45 seconds.
Ayana wasn't the only runner to break new ground, though, as compatriot Tirunesh Dibaba finished with a bronze and a new personal best, while Kenya's Vivian Cheruiyot took silver, 15 seconds behind the winner, per Athletics Weekly:
Well, what a first athletics final!
GOLD Almaz Ayana 29:17.45 WR
SILVER Vivian Cheruiyot 29:32.53 NR
BRONZE Tirunesh Dibaba 29:42.56 PB— Athletics Weekly (@AthleticsWeekly) August 12, 2016To put the podium's sensational finishes into context, only five women had completed the 10,000 metres in less than 30 minutes prior to Friday's race, but the Ethiopian blitzed her way past that figure, and then some.