Ethiopian on track for double
Kenenisa Bekele keeps his bid for a long-distance running double on course by coasting into the final of the men's 5000 metres
By Rebecca Syrocki
Last Updated: 20/08/08 3:14pm
Ethiopian Kenenisa Bekele keeps his bid for an elusive long-distance running double on course by coasting into the final of the men's Olympic 5000 metres.
The 5000/10,000m double was last achieved by fellow Ethiopian Miruts Yifter in the 1980 Moscow Games. Bekele finished third in his heat and will next run in the final on Friday.
The early slow pace set by Swiss Philipp Bandi did not concern the Ethiopian, who won his second consecutive 10,000m Olympic gold on Sunday, as he happily cruised along at the back of the pack until coming through at the end.
Kenyan-born Qatari sprinted ahead to take a 20m lead into the final lap but faded in the final straight and was caught when Kenyan-born US runner Bernard Lagat came through to win.
Winning the first heat to the line in a five-man sprint to clock 13:37.36 a surprise victory came for American Matthew Tegenkamp.
Kenyan Eliud Kipchoge, Bekele's younger brother Tariku and Eritrean Kidane Tadesse followed him home
The second heat winner was Edwin Chruiyot Soi of Kenya, who out-sprinted Moses Ndiema Kipsiro of Uganda to the line, with Ethiopian Abreham Cherkos finishing third.
GB's Mo Farah did not make it through to the next round despite taking up most of the running in heat 2 the slow pace meant he was out-sprinted on the final lap. He came 6th with 13:50.95.
Bahrain's Rashid Ramzi, who won the 1500m on Tuesday, decided not to race.
