Ethiopian runs in mentor's footsteps

ATHENS, Greece — Kenenisa Bekele crossed the finish line, took a few deep breaths and then waited for his mentor. A pained Haile Gebrselassie arrived 22 seconds later and the two Ethiopians hugged — the old champion giving way to the new.

Sprinting the final lap, Bekele ended Gebrselassie's eight-year reign as Olympic 10,000-meter champion on Friday night, smashing his training partner's Olympic record by more than two seconds.

The two then clasped hands and joined yet another countryman, silver medalist Sileshi Sihine, in a victory lap beneath their green, yellow and red flag.

Bekele finished in 27 minutes, 5.10 seconds. Sihine, about 30 meters behind Bekele, clocked 27:09.39, followed by Zersenay Tadesse of Eritrea in 27:22.57. Gebrselassie, pained by a left Achilles' injury in the final track appearance of his magnificent career, finished fifth in 27:27.70.

The 31-year-old Gebrselassie, who plans to move up to the marathon, began showing the strain with seven laps remaining in the 25-lap race. His face contorted, he fell behind the leaders and looked as if he was going to stop. But after struggling through the last few laps, his face broke into a giant smile as he crossed the finish line.

"It was very hard. I'm very close just to stop the competition," Gebrselassie said, limping away from the track. "I wanted to keep up with them. It didn't happen. I am so happy for the Ethiopians except for myself. I tried to push."

Bekele and Sihine slowed midway through the race so Gebrselassie could join them.

"We believed he could catch up to us," Bekele said. "When we realized he couldn't make it, we had to go."

The passing of the torch from Gebrselassie to the 22-year-old Bekele highlighted the first day of track competition at the Olympic stadium. -->

Earlier, Alan Webb was outmaneuvered and outrun in the first round of the 1,500 meters, a quick exit for the runner who was supposed to end years of American middle-distance mediocrity.

While the 21-year-old Webb faltered, the U.S. squad's most storied Olympian — 37-year-old Gail Devers — barely survived the second round of the women's 100. She captured the 16th and final spot in Saturday's semifinals, running 11.31 and avoiding elimination by a hundredth of a second.

Webb was trying to end a 36-year U.S. medal drought in the Olympic 1,500. Twenty-four runners advanced; Webb had the 25th-fastest time. His 3:41.25 was eleven-hundredths of a second too slow.