Florencia Borelli did it again: historic performance in California to beat a three-decade-old South American record

As midnight approached on Saturday 16th March in California and it was already early morning on Sunday 17th in our country, Florence Borelli crowned another historic performance when you beat the South American record of the 10 thousand flat meters on track with 31 minutes, 33 seconds and 7 hundredths.

He was in the called race “The Ten” on the track at Serra Catholic High School, in San Juan Capistrano, which is considered one of the most attractive specialty events all over the world.

Borelli finished fifteenth in the central series of this match, won by the Ethiopian Tsigie Gebreselema with 29:48.34, a record that places this athlete in the top 10 of the women’s world ranking.

The Argentine athlete, who had just broken the South American marathon record with 2:24:18 in Seville last month, now holds the region’s record in the 10,000 flat which the Brazilian Carmen Souza Oliveira had maintained for more than three decades: 31:47.76 at the World Championships in Stuttgart, on 21 August 1993. The Argentine record was 32:33.99, obtained two years ago by Florence’s great companion in long distance exploits, Daiana Ocampo (on 14 May 2022) in the Olympic Park of Buenos Aires).

Florencia now holds South American road records for almost all cross-country distances: 10km (31:59 last year in the US), 15km, half marathon (where she was the first South American to dip under 1:10) , 25 and 30 km and marathon.

And on the track she had already been the first South American to break the 9-minute barrier over 3,000 metres.

Now he adds a new compliment but in the 10,000, in a race he took part in his preparation for the Paris Olympic marathon.

It is a distance that he had faced on a few occasions on the track and where his personal best was 33:14.2 for five years in Mar del Plata (19-10-2019). However, she achieved the gold medal in this event at the 2022 Odesur Games in Asunción and was also a national champion in 2016, 2018 and 2019.

The Ethiopian Gebreselema has now dropped under half an hour for the first time (she had 30:04.45 since last year in Hengelo) and among her records from last season also includes second place at the cross country world championships in Australia and 4th place in the Riga World Half Marathon.

Second place went to Weini Kelati, originally from Eritrea and now representing the United States. He had just set the national half marathon record with 1:06.25 in Houston two months ago, and now he clocked 30:33.82 in The Ten.

And the podium was completed by Lauren Ryan with 30:35.66. Also taking fourth was Megan Keith in 30:36.84 under 31 minutes, while Rachel Smith placed fifth. with 31:04.02.

In the following positions were placed two true legends of the American marathon: Keira D’Amato placed seventh. she with 31:05.31 (she was the 42k national record holder with 2:19:12 in 2022) and Sara Hall, who finished 14th. with 31:25:20. Another notable participant was Mexican, world finalist and Pan American runner-up Laura Galván, 11th tonight. with 31:26.80.

The men’s 10,000 race, which closed out this luxury program in San Juan Capistrano, was equally impressive, with the top eight under 27 minutes and a total of 26 runners under 28:00. The winner was American Grant Fisher with 26:52.04, followed by compatriots Nico Young with 26:52.72 and Andreas Almgrne with 26:52.87. Fisher is the national record holder (26:33.84 two years ago in this same race) and placed 4th at the 2022 World Championships in Oregon and 5th at the Tokyo Olympics. Another award-winning runner – Olympic vice champion – is the Canadian Mohammed Ahmed, fourth tonight with 26:53.02. In Heat B of the men’s 10,000, eight other runners went under 28:00, led by Drew Hunter with 27:38.87.

“We are very happy and excited about this result”praised the teacher Fernando Diaz Sanchez, head coach of the CADA area of ​​origin, who accompanied Florencia in this experience. Borelli has another 10,000 meter race planned. on the track – in London, in May – in preparation for the Paris Olympics, and then focusing on the altitude, just like he did on the eve of the feat in Seville.

History of the South American 10,000 meters women’s track record

37:51.8 Olga Noemí Caccaviello ARG Rosario 04.10.1981

35:33.1 Angela Tibaduiza COL San Francisco 10/24/1983

34:37.95 Ena Guevara Mora FOR Cape Girardeau 05/23/1984

34:31.7 Monica Patricia Regonessi CHI Santiago CHI 09/14/1985

34.04.42 Monica Patricia Regonessi CHI Canberra 05.10.1985

33:48.67 Mónica Patricia Regonessi CHI Indianapolis 08/14/1987

33:32.7 Carmen Souza Oliveira BRA Sao Paulo 06/24/1989

33:05.99 Carmen Souza Oliveira BRA Barcelona ESP 09.09.1989

32:46.3 Carmen Souza Oliveira BRA Cubato 04/27/1991

32:44.89 Carmen Souza Oliveira BRA Sheffield 07/22/1991

32:36.44 Carmen Souza Oliveira BRA Tokyo 08/27/1991

32:35.04 Carmen Souza Oliveira BRA Vancouver 05/31/1992

32:24.37 Carmen Souza Oliveira BRA Vancouver 05/31/1993

32:08.72 Carmen Souza Oliveira BRA Hengelo 06/20/1993

31:47.76 Carmen Souza Oliveira BRA Stuttgart 08/21/1993

31:32.07 Florence Borelli ARG San Juan Capistrano 03/16/2024