Ciara Mageean finished a superb third in the 1,000m at the Diamond League meeting in Monaco to smash Sonia O’Sullivan’s Irish record and also move to ninth on the world all-time list.
Mageean’s time of 2:31.06 saw her take 3.6 seconds off O’Sullivan’s 1993 mark.
The Portaferry athlete, 28, passed British talent Jemma Reekie in the final stride to snatch third spot.
It was Mageean’s second Irish record in three weeks after she broke the two-minute barrier for 800m in Bern.
Kenya’s Olympic 1500m champion Faith Kipyegon clinched her expected victory with a 2:29.15 clocking which moved her to second on the all-time list behind Svetlana’s Masterkova’s world mark of 2:28.98 set in 1996.
Scotland’s Laura Muir set a new British record in second place as she crossed the line in 2:30.82 – 0.24 seconds ahead of the fast-finishing Mageean who pipped Reekie by 0.05.
The Northern Irishwoman appeared to be slightly impeded with a lap to go as she had check her stride briefly before moving to the outside.
However, she moved closer to the leaders during the final 400m to further emphasise her increased status within the global women’s middle distance fraternity.
Given the quality of Friday night’s field, Mageean’s run has to be regarded as the most accomplished of a career which has already seen her win two European medals, a world junior silver and reach last year’s World Championship final in the loaded 1500m.
Those behind her included fifth-placed world 800m champion, Halimah Nayaayi of Uganda and US athlete Raevyn Rogers, who won silver in last year’s two-lap event in Doha.
Mageean’s time moved her ahead of such luminaries in the world list as 1984 Olympic 3,000m champion Maricica Puica (2:31.5), another Romanian great Doina Melinte (2:31.85) and Britain’s 2004 double Olympic champion Kelly Holmes (2:32.55).
