Bekele completes distance double for Ethiopia

Ethiopia's Kenenisa Bekele celebrates on the victory lap after
winning the gold medal in the final of the Men's 5000m during the
World Athletics Championships in Berlin on Sunday, Aug. 23, 2009.
(AP Photo/Michael Sohn)

23 August, 2009

BERLIN (Reuters) - Ethiopian Kenenisa Bekele became the first man to win the 5,000-10,000 meters double at the world championships when he clocked 13 minutes, 17.09 seconds to take gold at the shorter distance on Sunday.

The 27-year-old duplicated his Olympic success and followed in the footsteps of countrywoman Tirunesh Dibaba, who won both world titles in 2005.

Bekele, the world record holder at both distances, hit the front with two laps to go then held off a strong challenge from defending champion Bernard Lagat of the United States to pull clear in the closing meters.

James C'Kurui of Qatar took the bronze. (By Gene Cherry, Editing by Sonia Oxley)