Diababa comes short of breaking word mile record in Rovereto

Genzebe Diababa fell short of breaking the 20-year-old women's mile world record on Tuesday at the European Athletics premium meeting in Rovereto, Italy. 

The world record holder in the 1500m (3:50.09), Dibaba, clocked 4:14.30 just 1.75 seconds slower that of Russia's Svetlana Masterkova world record. 

After a very promising opening lap of 60.9 seconds, both pacesetters significantly dropped the speed leading Dibaba through the 800m in 2:07.1.  To break the record the Ethiopian needed to clock  2:04.8 for the remaining 809m. The 2015 world champion in 1500m desperately tried to pick up the pace, but her effort was not good enough break the record as she broke the tape in 4:14.30, the second fastest outdoor mile in history. 

On her way Dibaba managed to cross the 1500m marker in 3:57.31 which was a new meeting record and new season's best for her.  Dibaba's personal for the mile indoors is 4:13.31 which is also a world indoor record. 

Elsewhere on the track, Jamaicans dominated sprint events as the Rio Olympics finalist Christina Williams took the women's 100m in 11.01 (W +1.0), while her compatriot Julian Forte clocked an impressive 9.97 (W + 2.3) claiming men's 100m.  Jamaican women also prevailed in the one lap race as Stephenie McPherson clocked 50.76 for the win ahead of her teammate Shericka Jackson (51.10). 

Amel Tuka, the 2015 world championships medalist from Bosnia and Herzegovina, outkicked everyone in the final 100m to win the men's 800m in a very solid 1:44.80.