Canada’s DeBues-Stafford breaks national record in women’s 1,500M

Winnie Nanyondo, of Uganda, Gabriela Debues-Stafford, of Canada, Laura Muir, of Great Britain, Gudaf Tsegay, of Ethiopia, and Jenny Simpson, of the United States, from left, race to the line in a women's 1500 meter semifinal at the World Athletics Championships. (Petr David Josek/AP)

DOHA, Qatar — Canada’s Gabriela DeBues-Stafford broke her own national record in the women’s 1,500-metre final Saturday at the world track and field championships.

The Toronto runner finished sixth in three minutes 56.12 seconds, trimming over three seconds from her previous best of 3:59.59 set last August in Zurich.

Sifan Hassan of the Netherlands won gold in 3:51.95. Faith Kipyegon of Kenya took silver and Gudaf Tsegay of Ethiopia won bronze.

DeBues-Stafford first broke the Canadian record in July. Her time of 4:00.26 in London was one-100th of a second faster than Lynn Williams’ mark from 1985.

Also Saturday, the Canadian women’s 4×400-metre relay team qualified for Sunday’s final by finishing third in the opening heat in 3:25.86.

In men’s shot put, Tim Nedow of Brockville, Ont., was ninth. In the women’s 100-metre hurdles, Phylicia George of Markham, Ont., did not advance after finishing last in her seven-runner heat with a time of 13.49 seconds.

In the women’s 5,000 metres, Andrea Seccafien of Guelph, Ont., was 13th in 14:59.95, a personal best at the distance.

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