Roundup: Dibaba breaks 1500m record amid six world-leading performances in Monaco

Ethiopia's Genzebe Dibaba shattered a 22-year record in women's 1500 meters here on Friday, when the Monaco Diamond League witnessed six world-leading performances at the Stade Louis II.

Dibaba, two-time world indoor champion respectively in 2012 over 1500m and in 2014 over 3000m, clocked three minutes and 50.07 seconds to improve her own world-leading result of this year by more than four seconds.

The previous mark of 3:50.46 was set by China's Qu Yunxia in Beijing in 1993.

"Pacemaker did finally a great job," Dibaba, who also holds the world indoor records of 1500m, 3000m and 5000m, said after Friday's race. "I'm the first from Ethiopia getting 1500m world record. That's amazing."

"I think Tirunesh will be happy. All Ethiopia will be happy," said the younger sister of three-time Olympic champion and reigning 10,000m world title holder Tirunesh Dibaba.

Genzebe was confident and even had predicted her success in breaking a record at a pre-race press conference.

"I knew from the beginning that I could break the record and I'm still able to improve, maybe under 3:50," said the 24-year-old Sportswoman of the Year in 2015 Laureus Sports Awards.

Dutch runner Sifan Hassan finished a distance second on 3:56.05, while Shannon Rowbury of the United States came in 3:56.29 for the third place.

Outstanding result was also claimed in men's 1500m as two-time defending world champion Asbel Kiprop ran a fifth fastest time of all time in 3:26.69.

The 2008 Olympic gold medalist thus became the third fastest man in the distance with the world-leading time so far this year, also a new meeting record at Herculis 2015.

His time is just 0.69 seconds off the sitting world record set 16 years ago by Hicham El Guerrouj of Moroccan in Rome.

"At the bell, I saw 2:31-2:32, so knew it could be a very fast time," said the 26-year-old. "At the end I'm very satisfied, but can admit I wanted a bit faster."

"But as I said, it is great and confirms my shape before Beijing (world championships)," he added.

Olympic champion Taoufik Makhloufi of Algeria finished second with a personal best of 3:28.75, Morroccan Abdelaati Iguider, Olympic bronze medalist and world indoor champion, was the third in his own PB of 3:28.79.

Troubled British runner Mo Farah, the Olympic and world 5000m and 10,000m champion who's attending his second race since involved in his coach Alberto Salazar's doping scandal.

Earlier in men's 800m, Bosnian Amel Tuka set a world-leading time of 1:42.51 to beat Nijel Amos of Botswana and Djibouti's Ayanleh Souleiman.

"I don't know what happened. You need to ask my coach why such a big improvement," said Tuka, whose previous personal best was 1:46.12 set last August in Zurich.

Moving from Bosnia to Italy, the Bosnian has been training with Gianni Ghidini in Verona for 20 months.

"Today I felt very good. I said to myself 'let's try in last 100m' but was not thinking I could win the race," said Tuka, whose time is the fourth best European ever.

The other four events having wrapped up with world-leading performances are the men's 3000m and shot put, as well as the women's 400m and 3000m steeplechase.

In-form Justin Gatlin continued with his roaring performance as the 33-year-old came out a clear winner by 0.19 seconds, completing his 100m in 9.78 seconds ahead of fellow American Tyson Gay (9.97) and European record holder Jimmy Vicaut of France (10.03).

"I rate this race as good as the other ones this year," said the fastest man so far in 100m who proved himself a firm favorite for the Beijing world championships on August 22-30 with a 27-win streak.

"But really, it was the first one where I had after the relay, so I think without that I could be faster," he added.

In the field of Friday's meeting, world record holder Renaud Lavillenie finally came up to a victory after straight defeats in Paris and Lausanne, claiming the pole vault title on 5.92 meters.

"What a great evening! I never doubted of myself, but to start winning again is great and this victory at 5.92 feels really good," said the French.

"I'm of course a bit disappointed because I really felt I deserved to pass 6m, I'm in a great shape but it's already great I got to win and I'm ready for Beijing so everthing's cool."

Konstanti Filippidis of Greece and Sam Kendricks of the United States followed up with both conquering the height 5.82m.

Sandra Perkovic of Croatia won the women's discus throw on 66.80 meters and already secured the Diamond Race win with four more stops coming.

"Of course you need to be satisfied," she said. "It's my fourth Diamond Race win in a row."

"This was my last competition before Beijing," she added. "I expect a fight between 3-4 girls for the gold. I never was in Birds Nest, so I want be one of them. Stay healthy is the key to gold medal." Endi