Bekele gets his share of the $1m jackpot

Submitted by ATAF Editor on 4 September 2009 - 10:41pm

Ethiopia's double world champion Kenenisa Bekele has emerged as joint jackpot winners with American Sanya Richards and Russian Yelena Isinbayeva after they won their respective sixth competition at the final Golden League event of the season in Brussels this evening.

Bekele won the 5000 metres in 12:55.31, the third best time of the season, to secure his share [1/3 - 333,333.00 USD] of the one million dollar jackpot.

Compatriot Imane Merga was second in 12:55.66 and Kenya's Vincent Chepkok was third in 12.55.98.

Yamille Aldama of Sudan takes the women's Triple Jump with her first round effort of 14.27m.

Kenyan David Rudisha won the 800m in 1:45.80, ahead of compatriot Alfred Kirwa Yego (1:46.36) and Canadian Gary Reed (1:46.82).

Records Broken

Ethiopian Gelete Burka wins the women's 2000m in 5:30.19, an African Record and a world year best, ahead of Kenyans Vivian Cheruiyot (5:35.46) and Mercy Cherono (5:35.65).

A Kenyan quartet comprising of William Biwott, Gideon Gathimba, Geoffrey Rono and Augustine Choge beat the oldest world record in athletics, eclipsing the 32-year-old 4x1500m mark of West Germany sending the spectactors at the Koning Boudewijn stadium into a frenzy.

The team improved the 1977 4x1500m relay World Record by more than 2 seconds, coming home in 14:36.23.

The IAAF Golden League series will be replaced by a new Diamond League format from May 2010.