Gebreselassie breaks 10km record and wins $1m

OLYMPIC legend Haile Gebreselassie of Ethopia broke the 10km road race world record and won the $1 million prize at Doha yesterday.

Gebreselassie, double Olympic 10,000m champion, clocked 27:02 in his comeback after a calf injury sustained during the London marathon in April, to break Kenyan Sammy Kipketer’s world best of 27min 11sec.

In the women’s race, fellow Ethiopian Derartu Tulu, the World and Olympic 10,000m champion, won in 32:23, lead a clean sweep by her country ahead of compatriots Geta Wami and Kutre Dulecha.

Running in windy conditions with temperatures of 24 degrees Celsius, Gebrselassie made a break from the leading group at 6.5km which included Kenyans Francis Kiprop and James Kipketer and fellow Ethiopians Worku Bikila and Hailu Mekkonen.

Once Gebrselassie took control, the race result and the record were never in doubt with the Ethopian winning from Mekkonen and Kiprop.

“The first kilometre was a little bit fast and I was a little nervous but everything turned out so well, its really fantastic,” said Gebrselassie. “This race was to help me access my fitness and I am very pleased though I still need more speed. I would say I was at between 75 to 80 percent of the level I hope to achieve next year.

“This has been a fantastic result for my confidence, after my injury problems. My next race is likely to be indoors in Stuttgart.”