OSTRAVA, Czech Republic, 9 June 2004 — Ethiopian running sensation Kenenisa Bekele broke the men’s 10,000 meters world record here yesterday at the Grand Prix meeting.
The 21-year-old timed 26min 20.32sec to break compatriot Haile Gebrselassie’s mark set in 1998 of 26:22.75sec and confirm that he has indeed taken his legendary countryman’s mantle as the dominant distance runner.
Only last week the three-time double cross country world champion had broken Gebrselassie’s 5,000m world record at the Dutch track of Hengelo, though he is only to attempt the 10,000m at the Olympics in August.
The astonishing Ethiopian had to take up the pace well before the halfway mark as the pacemakers failed to do their job and accompanied only by compatriot Gebremariam he was at one point seven seconds down on his target.
Britain’s Hopes of Olympic Gold Gets Boost With Return of Radcliffe
Great Britain’s hopes of Olympic gold were given a boost yesterday when it was announced that world marathon record holder Paula Radcliffe will return to the track next week, ahead of schedule.
She will run her first track race in 22 months at the European Cup 5,000 meters in Bydgoszcz, Poland on June 19-20.
The event will allow Radcliffe to test her fitness prior to the British Grand Prix at Gateshead the following week.
