Herculis 2022: Faith Kipyegon and Noah Lyles close in on World Records
Herculis 2022 saw the world’s top athletes meet in Monaco to push themselves beyond their limits during a memorable competition full of shocking surprises and record-breaking performances. On 10 August at the Louis-II stadium, the energy was palpable, with cheering fans and focussed athletes preparing for the famed Diamond League competition.
Prince Albert II attended this year’s Herculis event, only a few days after making an appearance at the World Championships in Oregon, USA, which took place at the end of July.
Faith Kipyegon sets second–fastest 1500m in history
With a time of 3:51.07, Faith Kipyegon (Kenya) set the world’s best performance of the year during the 1500m Women. Her time is a new national record and she achieved the second fastest 1500m in history! She was so close to the world record, only 30 hundredths of a second off Genzebe Dibaba’s (Ethiopia) time (3:50.37) from 2015.
Thierry Ndikumwenayo sets new Diamond League record
Thierry Ndikumwenayo (Burundi) not only broke a national record and the Diamond League record, but he also set the best world performance of the year when he won the men’s 3,000 mwith a time of 7:25.93. Berihu Aregawi (Ethiopia) finished second with a new personal best of 7:26.81. Grant Fisher (USA) came in third and achieved a new continental record of 7:28.48.
Noah Lyles beats his own record!
The USA champions claimed all the three podium positions in the 200m men. Noah Lyles (USA) won with a phenomenal time of 19.46, beating the Meeting record he had set in 2018! Before the race, the athlete announced his goal of beating the world record of Usain Bolt (19.19, set in 2009). Behind him wasErriyon Knighton (USA) with 19.84 and 400m world champion, Michael Norman (USA) with 19.95.
National records for Canada and Ireland and personal bests for World Champions
The 100m women’s race was a major highlight for this year’s event. World Champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce (Jamaica) clocked in at an incredible time of 10.62 to claim the victory, setting a new Meeting record and the best world performance of the year. Her compatriot and world champion in the 200m, took second place with a new personal best of 10.71. In third place and for her 7th time in Monaco, Marie-Josée Ta Lou (Cote d’Ivoire) achieved a new continental record of 10.72.
Rushell Clayton (Jamaica) broke her personal best by 0.30, securing a victory in the women’s 400m hurdles with a time of 53.33. World Champion and Commonwealth Games Champion Jake Wightman (UK) won the Men’s 1,000m race with 2:13.88, setting a new Meeting record and the best world performance of the year. Setting a new national record for Canada, Marco Aropcame in second with 2:14.35 followed by Tokyo bronze medalist Clayton Murphy (USA). By finishing 7th with a time of 2:16.40, Luke McCann set a new national record for Ireland.
