RECORD ALERT: Stafford breaks her third Canadian record of the year in Stockholm

It was a stellar day for Canada at the Stockholm Diamond League today, as Canada’s 2018 national champion in the 1,500m, Gabriela DeBues-Stafford, set a new Canadian record in the 5,000m, and Aaron Brown won the men’s 200m in 20.04.

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Besides breaking Courtney Babcock’s 2003 record of 14:54.98 by almost three seconds, DeBues-Stafford’s 14:51.59 is a six-second personal best in her season-opening race. And it’s only the second time she has raced the distance. In fact, DeBues-Stafford has set a national record in every race she’s run so far in 2019: the indoor mile, the indoor 5,000m, and now the outdoor 5,000m.

Stafford strode ahead on the final lap but was ultimately overtaken by Agnes Tirop of Kenya in 14:50.82, who also edged out Ethiopia’s Fantu Worku in 14:51.31 and Lillian Rengeruk of Kenya in 14:51.34. Rengeruk fell earlier on the course but managed to pick herself up and finish on the podium. (Her less fortunate compatriot Hellen Obiri, who also fell, finished 12th. Obiri won this year’s World Cross-Country Championships in Denmark in March.)

Congratulations @gstafford13 on the new 5,000m CANADIAN RECORD of 14:51!!!! That’s her third Canadian record in as many races in 2019 #woahnelly pic.twitter.com/75cOr2TDEe

— Canadian Running (@CanadianRunning) May 30, 2019

It was a tricky race today, in cold and windy conditions. Two competitors fell during the race. One recovered and took third place, for the other it pretty much scuppered her race.

Debues-Stafford lives and trains in Glasgow, UK with Andy Young, who also trains British runner Laura Muir.

RELATED: 3 Canadian national champions to race Stockholm Diamond League

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Moments before DeBues-Stafford stepped up to the line, Canada’s Aaron Brown won his 200m race in a season’s best 20.06, defeating the reigning world champion, Turkey’s Ramil Guliyev, who ran 20.40, and Trinidad and Tobago’s Jereem Richards in third place, in 20.45.

Also today, double 2018 national champion Crystal Emmanuel raced the 200m, finishing sixth in 23.14. Britain’s Dina Asher-Smith was first, in 22:18, Jamaica’s Elaine Thompson was second, in 22.66, and the Netherlands’ Dafne Schippers was third, in 22.78.