On a cool evening in Brussels, Birhanu Balew of Bahrain claimed his first Diamond League 5000m title in a time that rewrote the record books. His run of 12:45.70 at the Memorial Van Damme set an Asian record, a world lead, and a new personal best by two full seconds.
A kick that broke the maths
The race had rolled fast and deep, with the top six men all cracking 12:50. But everything turned on the last lap. Balew, 30, uncorked a 53.4-second final 400 metres — a close normally reserved for tactical championship finals, not a rabbitted circuit race.
He covered the first 300 metres of that lap in 39.2 seconds before easing slightly on the home straight. It was the fastest closing lap ever recorded in any 5000m race won in 12:45 or faster. Egide Ntakarutimana of Burundi followed him home in 12:46.73, with Kenya's Cornelius Kemboi third.
Eight years, then two weeks
Balew had gone eight years between Diamond League victories before his win in Lausanne on August 21. Brussels was his second in a row, and it delivered the trophy that had eluded him across seven global finals between 2016 and 2025.
His best finish in those major championships was sixth, in the Tokyo Olympic 5000m. Now, in the late summer of his career, he is in his sharpest form.
The record that kept falling
The Asian mark had been his own twice over before this evening. He ran 12:48.67 in Paris in 2025, then lowered it to 12:47.73 in Oslo this June. Brussels took another two seconds off, making it his third national record in barely 14 months.
He will not carry this speed to the World Ultimates. His federation wants him fresh for the Asian Games in Nagoya later this month. For now, one loud lap in Brussels will do.
