Yomi Omogbeja (06/07/2005)

Ethiopia’s double World record-holder in the 5,000m and 10,000m, Kenenisa Bekele and his brother Tariku were runaway winners in the 3,000m at the 30th edition of Athletissima, IAAF Super Grand Prix meeting in Lausanne.

Kenenisa Bekele, who is the current leader in the IAAF Men's overall World Ranking, cruised to an easy victory to lead an African clean sweep of the men's 3000 metres in 7:34.57.

His younger brother Tariku finished in second place in 7:38.18 ahead of compatriot Markos Geneti, who was third with 7:38.42. 

Another Ethiopian Gebre-Egziabher Gebremariam was fourth in 7:40.31 while Algerian Ali Saidi-Sief was fifth in 7:41.21.

Kenyans trio of John Kibowen, Boniface Songok and James Kwalia placed 6th ( 7:41.95 ), 7th (7:42.49) and 8th (7:43.45) respectively.

Kenenisa Bekele also ran the 5,000m in 12:40.18 last week, missing his own world record by just under three seconds at the Meeting Gaz de France - TDK/IAAF Golden League meeting in Paris St-Denis.

Four South African runners posted impressive sub-50 performances in the men's 400 hurdles. Pieter De Villiers, who came second in the B race, ran 48.46 - a better time than American James Carter who won the A race in 48.47.

Louis Van Zyl came second in the A race in 48.82 while Llewellyn Herbert was fourth in 48.96. Ockert Cilliers placed fourth in the B race in 49.56.

Ghana's Aziz Zakari edged out American and Olympic 100m champion Justin Gatlin (10.03) to snatch second place in the men's 100 metres in a time of 10.02 seconds.

Frenchman Ronald Pognon won the tight race in a personal best 9.99 seconds.