Kenenisa Bekele wins the 5000m in
Birmingham in a World indoor record
in 2004 (Getty Images)
By Dave Martin
PA Sport – for the IAAF
London, UK – On his way to defending his World Indoor title at 3000m this winter in Valencia, Spain, Kenenisa Bekele plans to attack the World indoor Two Mile best at the Norwich Union Grand Prix – IAAF Indoor permit meet – in Birmingham’s National Indoor Arena on 16 February.
The 25-year-old Ethiopian will hope to better the mark of 8:04.69 set by countryman Haile Gebrselassie at the same venue in 2003.
Bekele, who set a World Indoor 5000 metres record at the Birmingham meeting in 2004 has already gone close to Gebrselassie’s best. The World and Olympic 10,000m champion clocked 8:05.12 in what was a solo effort at the 2006 edition. Bekele also posted an unofficial World 2000m best (4:49.99) at last year’s meeting.
“Obviously I would like to break the world record (best), but this is a tough one,” said Bekele, who will also race over 3000m at the IAAF Indoor permit meeting in Valencia, Spain on Saturday 9 February. “Let’s hope there is lots of early pace which would help me in making it.”
Birmingham will be Bekele’s final test before competing at the 12th IAAF World Indoor Championships which will take place in Valencia, Spain (7 to 9 March).