Tshepo Tshite has smashed the 12-year-old South African 1,500m record.

The diminutive Olympian clocked 3 min 31.35 sec as he ended ninth at the Diamond League meet in Paris on Friday night, more than half-a-second quicker than Johan Cronje’s effort from September 2013.

The 28-year-old, who already holds the indoor 1,500m and mile records, was nearly four seconds behind winner Azeddine Habz of France, who pulled five other athletes below 3:30.00.