World half-marathon champion Berhane Adere ran the second fastest women's 5,000 metres ever on Friday to lead an Ethiopian clean sweep at the Bislett Games Golden League meeting.

Adere, the world indoor 3,000 metres record holder, clocked 14 minutes 29.32 seconds in the first of the season's six Golden League meetings with a blistering sprint finish that left her just a second off the world record set by China's Bo Jiang in 1997.

Werknesh Kidane was second in 14:33.04 and Tirunesh Diababa third in 14:39.94, a world junior record in a race in which six Ethiopians finished in the top 10. Eight of the 17 finishers set personal bests.

Adere said she had aimed only to win the race and realised that she was on world record pace at about 3,000 metres.

"When I heard someone say 'world record', I tried to push," she said. "A fantastic race. I thought it was possible to break the world record...sorry I was slow today." She added that she would make another attempt on the record in August.

Kenenisa Bekele, Ethiopia's potential heir to world 5,000 and 10,000 metres record holder Haile Gebrselassie, won the men's 5,000 metres in a personal best of 12" "I am in my best shape ever," Bekele said. "Last season I was injured and started training last November."

Sammy Kipketer was second in 12:52.33 and fellow-Kenyan Eliud Kipchoge third in a world junior record of 12" LEWIS-FRANCIS WINS

In the men's 100 metres, former world junior champion Mark Lewis-Francis of Britain upstaged compatriot and European champion Dwain Chambers to win in a time of 10.12.

"I think it's going to be a great season for British athletics," he said, adding his goal was to win a medal at the world championships in Paris in August. "It's too early to say what colour."

Lewis-Francis turned down a chance of a place at the Sydney Olympics to concentrate on the 2000 world junior championships where he won two golds.

In the women's 100 metres, Chandra Sturrup of the Bahamas beat US champion Kelli White in a photo finish. Sturrup, the former Commonwealth Games champion, clocked 10.96 seconds, 0.01 ahead of White, who won the 100-200 double at the US championships this month.

Australia's Commonwealth champion Jatna Pittman won the 400 metres hurdles, holding off a late challenge from current world number one Ionela Tirlea of Romania.

In the women's triple jump, Cuba's Yamile Aldama recorded the longest leap for two years with a personal best of 15.11 metres.

The meeting was the last to be staged in the Bislett Stadium. The stadium will be demolished and next year's event will be held in Gothenburg, Sweden, while a new one is erected.

Former world record breakers in the stadium, including Britain's Sebastian Coe and Norway's Ingrid Kristiansen, paraded in cars around the stadium before the start.



Close

Today's Top News		Top Sports News
+Mainland/HK trade deal to bring opportunities, improve ties ( 2003-06-30) +Ministry: Encephalitis B epidemic in Guangdong under control ( 2003-06-30) +Identity card law to boost rights ( 2003-06-30) +Forbes business summit to showcase Shanghai and China ( 2003-06-30) +Beijing Games moved back two weeks ( 2003-06-30)		+Beijing Games moved back two weeks ( 2003-06-30) +Beijing welcomes IOC's decision to move back 2008 Olympics two weeks ( 2003-06-30) +France edges Cameroon at Confederations ( 2003-06-30) +Agassi charges net to defeat El Aynaoui ( 2003-06-29) +Wild-card Maria Sharapova wins again ( 2003-06-29)