In what was only the fourth road race of her career, the 25-year-old 1500 metres specialist broke the record of 14:43 set by Kenya’s world 3,000m steeplechase champion Beatrice Chepkoech in February of this year.

Seyaum - who won the 2014 African Games title and took world indoor silver in 2016 -  was followed home by Kenya’s current world number one steeplechaser Norah Jeruto, who equalled Chepkoech’s mark.

Fellow Ethiopian Meskerem Mamo, the African 5,000m bronze medallist, finished third in 14:55.

The trio covered two kilometres in 5:51 and three kilometres in 8:46, putting them well inside the schedule required to break the record, and although the pace dropped in the fourth kilometre Seyaum rallied to earn a mark that is now subject to ratification.

The performance comes just two months after Seyaum's compatriot, Senbere Teferi, set a women-only world record of 14:29 for the distance in Herzogenaurach.

In the men’s race, the Wanda Diamond League 5,000m champion Berihu Aregawi of Ethiopia came within one second of Joshua Cheptegei’s world record, winning by more than half a minute in 12:52.

Hosea Kiplangat of Uganda was second in 13:25, finishing four seconds ahead of Ethiopia’s Yasin Haji.

There was further Ethiopian success in the men’s 10km as the relatively unheralded Chimdesa Debele Gudeta won in 27:16 from Kenya’s Kenneth Kiprop, who finished in 27:25.

Steeplechase specialist Celliphine Chespol won the women’s 10km in 30:21 from fellow Kenyan Daisy Cherotich, who recorded 30:33.