Posted: May 19, 2005

Athletics: Bekele To Highlight Golden League Kick-Off In Paris

From David Monti

© 2005 Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved RaceResultsWeekly.com

By Bob Ramsak

Olympic 10,000 meter champion Kenenisa Bekele of Ethiopia is among the first key stars announced for the opening TDK Golden League competition at the Gaz de France meeting in Paris Saint-Denis, on Friday, July 1.

Bekele, who captured his fourth consecutive double win at the IAAF World Cross Country Championships last March, will headline the 5000 meters in Paris. The 3000/5000 is among seven men’s events designated as Golden League events this season, in which a one million dollar jackpot is up for grabs to winners of their respective events at each of the six premiere athletics competitions.

Bekele will launch his outdoor track season at the Thales FBK Games in Hengelo, Netherlands on May 29 where he’ll contest the 10,000. Last year in Hengelo, Bekele set a world record in the 5000, clocking 12:37.35. Eight days later he added the 10,000 world record to his collection, running 26:20.31 at the Golden Spike Super Grand Prix in Ostrava, Czech Republic. Both performances eclipsed six-year-old records set by Haile Gebrselassie.

Held just five days before the International Olympic Committee will make it host selection for the 2012 Summer Olympic Games, the Paris Saint-Denis meet at the renamed "Stade de France Paris 2012" will be one of the final public displays of support for the French capital’s bid. Organizers are hoping to top last year’s attendance of 63,851, a world record for paid attendance at a one-day athletics event, according to organizers. !-- End of update of news here -->