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A 19-year-old just broke a 41-year-old world record, and barely smiled

A 19-year-old just broke a 41-year-old world record, and barely smiled

The athletics community had been waiting for a record like this for nearly a decade. It came on a Saturday afternoon in front of a stadium that was less than half full.

Her coach, asked after the race what he had felt watching the final lap, paused for a long time. "Relief," he said. "Mostly relief."

Author

Tomás Reyes

Contributor

Long-form thinking, original reporting, and field notes from the Airlancer team.