HAILE GEBRSELASSIE raised the bar of his already distinguished career by taking his own world marathon record under two hours four minutes, for the first time in Berlin yesterday.

ROBERT Heffernan got his build up to next year’s Olympic Games off to a flying start in Barcelona yesterday when he finished sixth in a 10k event that featured all but one of the world’s top 10 racewalkers.

Haile Gebrselassie suffered a shock defeat in the 10,000 metres final.