Yobes Ondieki of Kenya became the first man to run the 10,000 meters under 27 minutes, clocking 26:58.38 at the Mobil Bislett Games Grand Prix track and field meet Saturday.
Ondieki slashed more than nine seconds off the previous mark of 27:07.91, set by countryman Richard Chelimo at Stockholm, Sweden, on Monday.It was the 50th world record since 1924 at Bislett Stadium, billed as the "world record track."
Noureddine Morceli, the world 1,500-meter record-holder from Algeria, failed in an attempt to break the world mile record but won the "Dream Mile" in 3:47.78, the sixth-fastest time ever.
Only Steve Cram of Britain, Said Aouita of Morocco, Sebastian Coe of Britain and Steve Scott of the United States have run faster. Cram set the world record of 3:46.32 here eight years ago.
Ondieki posted split times well below those Chelimo had at Stockholm throughout Saturday's race as he and fellow Kenyan William Sigei set the pace. Ondieki then took the lead for good with eight laps left after clocking 13:28 at 5,000 meters.
"I know I was capable of breaking the world record tonight," said Ondieki, competing in his first 10,000 of the year. "I'm in such good shape and I had prepared well.
"The first five kilometers were a bit quick, but as the race progressed I felt strong."
A late bloomer, Ondieki, 32, emerged into a world-class runner in 1988, then had a brilliant season in 1989, when he became the first man in 10 years to beat Said Aouita of Morocco at 5,000 meters. He won the 10,000 at the 1991 World Outdoor Championships in Tokyo.
Sigei was second in 27:16.81, Alejandro Gomez of Spain third in 27:39.88, Richard Nerurkar of Britain fourth in 27:40.03 and Todd Williams of the United States fifth in 27:40.37.
Olympic champion Linford Christie of Britain won the 100 meters in a wind-aided 10.09.
Andre Cason, the U.S. champion and winner of the 100 Wednesday over world record-holder Carl Lewis at Lausanne, Switzerland, withdrew from the final because of an illness.
Christie took the lead early and held off Frank Fredericks of Namibia, runner-up in both the 100 and 200 at the Barcelona Olympics, by two-hundredths of a second. Michael Green of Jamaica was third in 10.21.
Christie was timed in 10.26 in winning the second qualifying heat ahead of Green.
Michael Johnson and Butch Reynolds gave the United States a 1-2 finish in the 400 meters. Johnson's winning time was 44.89, with Reynolds .13 seconds behind.
Merlene Ottey of Jamaica won the women's 100 in 10.94, the second-fastest time of the year behind American Gail Devers' 10.82.
Gwen Torrence of the United States finished second in 10.98 and Irina Privalova of Russia third in 11.15.
Trine Hattestad of Norway delighted the home crowd with a big throw of 236 feet, 7 inches, in the javelin, the longest ever recorded with the women's new model.
Werner Guenthor of Switzerland won the shot put at 70-31/2. Randy Barnes, the world record-holder, was second at 69-11/4 and fellow American and Olympic champion Mike Stulce third at 67-51/4.