Cal Alum Georgia Bell Runs Lifetime Best in Sizzling 1,500 at Paris

One-time Cal runner Georgia Bell was part of the fastest women’s 1,500-meter race in history at Paris on Sunday, and the 30-year-old from Great Britain made the most of it.

Bell ran a huge lifetime best of 3 minutes, 56.54 seconds to place fifth in a Diamond League race where the top 12 finishers cracked 4 minutes — a first in track and field history.

Bell, who already has qualified for the Paris Olympics, obliterated her previous best of 4:00.41, clocked earlier this season at the Prefontaine Classic.

Bell ran a collegiate best of 4:18.89 at Cal in 2016, then left the sport for several years before beginning a comeback. That return has hit full stride just in time for the Olympics, with Bell winning the UK Olympic trials and finishing second at the European Championships.

Bell now ranks 13th on the 2024 world list.

Kenya’s Faith Kipyegon, the 30-year-old reigning Olympic champion, broke her own world record with a 3:49.04 performance. 

Australia’s Jessica Hull was second in an area record time of 3:50.83, Britain’s Laura Muir set a national record of 3:53.79 to place third and Australia’s Linden Hall was fourth in a personal best of 3:56.40.

The top eight finishers and a total of 10 runners in the field recorded lifetime bests. Agathe Guillrmoy set a French national record with her eighth-place finish of 3:59.05.

The Paris meet also produced a world record in the women’s high jump, where Ukraine’s Yaroslava Mahuchikh cleared 6 feet, 10 3/4 (2.10 meters) to eclipse the nearly 37-year-old standard of 6-10 1/4 (2.09) by Stefka Kostadinova of Bulgaria.

The men’s 800 delivered an historic result with three runners breaking 1:42 and six crossing in under 1:43 — both of those for the first time ever. Algeria’s Djamel Sedjati won in the world-leading time of 1:41.56, one of four national records set in the race.

Mondo Duplantis made three tries at toppling his own world record, failing to clear 20-6 inches (6.25 meters) in the pole vault after winning at 19-8 1/4 (6.0m).

World leader and 2022 world champion Brooke Andersen, who failed to make the U.S. Olympic team, captured the women’s hammer throw with a toss of 240-4 (73.27). 

Cal alum and Canadian star Camryn Rogers, the 2023 world champ, did not participate at Paris but already has qualified to compete in the French capital at the Olympics.