ETHIOPIA'S Haile Gebrselassie reclaimed the 10,000 metres world record which he lost to Paul Tergat by clocking 26min 22.75sec in Hengelo, Holland, last night.
Racing outdoors for the first time this season, he took more than five seconds from the Kenyan's mark, set last August in Brussels. It was the third time the Ethiopian had broken the record.
Paced by three compatriots, the Olympic and world champion was five seconds inside Tergat's record at halfway, but hardly needed help as he ran the last 4000m alone, though he was pursued on the final circuit by lapped compatriot Habte Jifar.
In 1949, Emile Zatopek held the world mark at 29-28.2. Seven years later Russian Vladimir Kuts had lowered that to 28-30.4; Ron Clarke of Australia owned the record at 28-15.6 for nine years; the last Briton to hold it was Dave Bedford (27-30.8, 1973); Yobes Ondieki of Kenya was first to break 27 minutes, with 26-58.38 in 1993. Nobody other than an African has held it since.
Gebrselassie's time equates to 25 laps of just over 63 seconds, or six and a quarter miles at 4-13 pace. Put another way, he completed back to back 5000m of 13-11. The Scottish 5000m record, 13-17.9, was set 18 years ago.
Next Monday Chris Robison and Bobby Quinn will bid for the Commonwealth 10,000m qualifying time. Scotland's current and former cross-country champions could be lapped twice by the Ethiopian - and achieve it. Ian Stewart, who set the Scottish best of 27-43.01, 21 years ago, would also have been lapped. Winners:
Men.100m: O Ezinwa (Nigeria) 10.13; 2 D Campbell 10.31. 800m: J Botha (S Africa) 1-45.49. 1500m: H el Guerrouj (Morocco) 3-31.19; 4, K McKay 3-37.22. 110m hurdles: M Crear (USA) 13.34. 3000m steeplechase: B Barmassai (Kenya) 8-11.57. 3000m: W B Kipketer (Kenya) 7-36.97. Triple jump: D Kapustin (Russia) 17.12m. Shot: O-S Buder (Germany) 20.71m. Women. 100m: A Philip, (Germany) 11.22. 800m: H Benhassi (Morocco) 2-00.07. 1500m: G Szabo (Romania) 4-02.91; 4, P Radcliffe 4-05.81. 3000m: Z Ouaziz (Morocco) 8-30.43. 400m hurdles: K Batten (USA). 54.70 Pole vault: S Dragila (USA) 4.30m. Discus: N Grasu (Romania) 65.82m.
q SPRINTING at Sunday's Prefontaine Classic in Oregon puts the Commonwealth prospects for Scotland's outstanding young sprinters Ian Mackie and Doug Walker into timely perspective.
US world champion Maurice Greene won the 100m in 9.79secs and beat world record holder Michael Johnson to take the 200m in 19.88. Wind assistance, at 2.9 and 2.1 respectively, was marginal.
Greene was followed home in the 100m by Trinidadian Ato Boldon (9.89) whom the two Scots will face in Kuala Lumpur. Obadele Thompson, another Commonwealth athlete, was fourth in 10.06.
Only Barbadian Thomson (9.69) and Carl Lewis (9.78) have ever run faster than did Greene on Sunday. Greene also took the 200 in 19.88. Thompson this time was second in 20.17, with World and Olympic champion Johnson third in 20.28, almost a second outside his world record of 19.32. Mackie and Walker's legal bests are 10.17 and 20.49 respectively.
Australian Cathy Freeman, favourite for Commonwealth gold, and formidable barrier to 400m hopes for Scotland's Alison Curbishley, clocked 50.02, second fastest this summer. Four events in Oregon were world bests for the year:
Marion Jones (long jump, 7.31m), Luke Kipkosgei (5000m, 13-07.83), Daniel Komen (mile, 3-50.95); Maria Mutola (800m, 1-58.66).
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