Yomi Omogbeja (09/06/2004)

Ethiopian Kenenisa Bekele has shattered another distance world record for the second time in as many weeks.

Bekele last night took apart another of Haile Gebreselassie's six-year-old 10,000m world record improving the mark by over two seconds to 26:20.31 at the Golden Spike Super Grand Prix in Ostrava, Czech Republic.

Racing just eight days after posting a 12:37.35 World 5000m record in Hengelo, Netherlands, the 22-year-old was urged on by the 20,000 capacity crowd at this IAAF meeting.

Solo effort

Bekele covered the final lap in a stunning 57.2 seconds to finish what was yet another largely solo undertaking by the three time double World Cross Country champion.

Considering he fact he was six seconds adrift of schedule at 4000m, he said he knew he “would break the World record only in the last lap”.

Pacesetter Martin Keino guided Bekele through the first 3000 metres in 7:55.97, about two seconds from his intended 7:54.

But sensing a slowing pace, Bekele moved ahead reaching 4000 meters in 10:37.73, more than six seconds behind the pace in Gebreselassie's 1998 record run.

Just like in Hengelo nine days earlier the rest of the field was well behind. Gebre Gebremariam was a distant second in an impressive 'non-Bekele clocking' of 26:53.73, a personal best, with Qatari Abdullah Ahmad Hassan third in 27:15.03.

For his efforts Bekele pocketed a $50,000 bonus.

"The weather was to my expectations," he said, "not to hot and not too cold. The atmosphere at the stadium was fantastic."