I think most people under 40 that are at least somewhat active could do 100m in 17s.
Now, that pace is a 4:35 mile. That’s reasonable for D1 athletes in soccer and probably other non-track sports. I’m not and never was very athletic, but when I was in high school and playing varsity soccer I think I could have kept up that pace for maybe like 200m; doing it for 2 hours straight is at least as incomprehensible as powerlifters doing 1000lb deadlifts or whatever.
My best is an 11 minute walking mile. Which is pretty good for walking, but my running mile wouldn’t be much better.
Is it likely that Kejelcha had a good run, because Sawe did? In the sense that a pacer can help with times? Or likely that they both had good times partly because they were pushing each other?
Or is it more likely it was just a good day; good weather?
All those things – good weather, pushing each other, and advances in shoe technology.
You don’t get a world record because one thing goes right; you get it when everything goes right.
This is a pace that absolutely boggles my mind.