Kenyan Kiptanui Adds World Record In 5,000 To Steeplechase Mark

Kenya’s Moses Kiptanui broke the men’s 5,000-meter world record Thursday, clocking 12 minutes, 55.30 seconds at the IAAF Mobil Grand Prix Golden Gala track and field meet at Rome.

The previous record was 12:56.96, set last June by Haile Gebrselassie of Ethiopia.

Kiptanui also owns the world record in the 3,000-meter steeplechase (8:02.08).

Kiptanui’s countryman, Daniel Komen, finished second, also breaking the old record, in 12:56.12.

Meanwhile, Davidson Ezinwa of Nigeria beat world and Olympic champion Linford Christie of Britain in a 100-meter heat. Ezinwa clocked 10.10 to Christie’s 10.15.

Dennis Mitchell - who won bronze medals while Christie took the golds at the 1993 World Championships and 1992 Olympics - won the other 100 heat in 10.16.

Christie and Mitchell also competed in the 200, won by world champion Frankie Fredericks of Namibia in a relatively slow 20.42.

Sergei Bubka of Ukraine, the world record-holder in the pole vault, won at 19 feet, 4 inches.

World champion Marlene Ottey of Jamaica took the women’s 200 in 22.29.

Australian Lisa Ondieki, the 1992 Bloomsday winner, will be on her own against two tough Kenyans in Saturday’s Advil Mini Marathon at New York.

Ondieki’s 4-year-old daughter volunteered to help, but mom decided against it.

Ondieki doesn’t think she’s fit enough to keep up with the two, young Kenyan favorites - 1995 Bloomsday winner Delilah Asiago, 23, and Tegla Loroupe, 22, the 1993 Advil winner.