Posted: May 29, 2005

Athletics: Bekele Misses WR In Hengelo

From David Monti

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

By Bob Ramsak

Kenenisa Bekele fell short in his world record attempt at 10,000 meters tonight, but still managed the fourth fastest performance ever at the Thales Fanny Blankers-Koen Games in Hengelo, Netherlands. Bekele reached the line in 26:28.72, just over eight seconds shy of the 26:20.31 world record he ran last year in Ostrava, Czech Republic.

Bekele was chased to the finish by compatriot Abebe Dinkessa who clocked a personal best 26:30.74 to become the fifth fastest ever over the distance. Dinkessa, just 21, knocked nearly 53 seconds from his previous personal best of 27:23.60 from Hengelo last year. In March, Dinkessa finished fourth in the long course race at the IAAF World Cross Country Championships.

Abderrahim Goumri of Morocco finished third in 27:02.62, a few steps ahead of 18-year-old Kenyan Bernard Kiprop (27:04.45), who narrowly missed the world junior record of 27:04.00. In the junior race at the World Cross Country Championships, Kiprop was runner-up to countryman Augustine Choge.

In the 3000, Isaac Songok registered an upset win over Eliud Kipchoge, clocking a personal best 7:30.14 to Kipchoge's 7:30.56.

Olympic silver medallist Isabella Ochichi, another Kenyan, won the women's 5000 with a world-leading 14:50.96.

Look for complete results in the special Tuesday edition of RRW.