Samuel Tefera Of Ethiopia Breaks World U-20 Indoor 1,500m Record

[Deeq A.]

Ethiopian middle-distance runner Samuel Tefera (Getty Images)amuel Tefera, Ethiopia, sport, Athletics

Ethiopian teenager Samuel Tefera provided the unexpected highlight of the Meeting Elite en Salle de Leure in Val de Reuil on Saturday (27) when he broke the world U20 indoor 1500m record* with a world-leading 3:36.05.

Tefera, who represented Ethiopia at the IAAF World Championships London 2017 after winning their national trial race, was competing in the first indoor race of his burgeoning career. But his youth and relative inexperience proved no barrier as he comfortably beat 2012 world indoor champion and 2015 world bronze medallist Abdalaati Iguider.

Tefera crossed the line in 3:36.05 to take 0.23 off the previous world U20 indoor record set by Belal Mansoor Ali in 2007. Iguider, the 2012 Olympic bronze medallist, finished second in 3:36.87 with fellow Moroccan Brahim Kaazouzi taking third in a PB of 3:37.15.