I read that as a statement that they implemented a proper and bespoke algorithm, not that the speed of Python is greater than C. I am surprised that you read it that way. Who in their right mind would say Python speed is faster than C speed?
>I doubt you could have made it faster even writing the entire thing directly in C or C++.
as
> a statement that they implemented a proper and bespoke algorithm, not that the speed of Python is greater than C.
?
Many extension module implementations in Python are literally as fast as pure C (not just nearly as fast with minor extra CPython overhead, but literally as fast as pure C by deliberately bypassing CPython VM loop and data models).
Because you're writing regular Python for a production service though, and not artificially writing optimized examples, then you will occasionally have to pay extra costs.
Are you perhaps a bit too invested in your own narrative?