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Bekele wins 5,000, completes distance double

23-08-2008 - 22:30

Kenenisa Bekele of Ethiopia has won the 5,000 meters in an Olympic record to complete a distance double at the Beijing Games.

Bekele, who had already successfully defended his 10,000 title, won Saturday's 5,000-meter final in 12 minutes, 57.82 seconds.

Kenyans won silver and bronze, with Eliud Kipchoge second in 13:02.80 and Edwin Cheryiyot Soi finishing third in 13:06.22.

World champion Bernard Lagat of the United States finished 9th.

It was the second double here for Ethiopia after Tirunesh Dibaba won an unprecedented women's 5,000-10,000 combination.

A three-time world champion at 10,000, Bekele just missed a double at the Athens 2004 Olympics when he got the 10,000 gold and finished second to Moroccan great Hicham El Guerrouj in the 5,000.

Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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