Ethiopian men sweep 10,000-meter race at African Championships

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia (AP) -- Ethiopia swept the men's 10,000-meter race Wednesday on the opening day of the African Athletics Championships.

Gebregziabher Gebremariam won in 28 minutes, 17 seconds after pulling away from the pack halfway through the race. Junior champion Ibrahim Jeylan finished second, and national champion Eshetu Wondimu was third.

The three Ethiopians linked arms after the race for a victory lap in front of about 25,000 fans.

Olympic champion and world record holder Kenenisa Bekele withdrew from the race earlier Wednesday for unspecified reasons.

"I will not run it," Bekele told The Associated Press. "I can't answer for you by telephone. It's very difficult."

Bekele's withdrawal is not expected to affect his chances of running at this year's Beijing Olympics.

Haile Gebrselassie, the former world record holder and two-time Olympic champion in the 10,000, was not named to Ethiopia's team for the event. But Gebrselassie is still hoping to run the 10,000 in Beijing after pulling out of the Olympic marathon.

The heavy rain and cool temperatures in Addis Ababa kept the field from faster times in Wednesday's race.

With Bekele out of the race, Gebregziabher was asked if thought the Kenyans -- including John Korir, Bernard Sang and Julius Kiptoo -- would be able to win.

"This is Ethiopia," Gebregziabher said. "It is impossible."

The championships feature more than 800 competitors from 41 African nations. Ethiopia, with 140 athletes, has the most participants, including Olympic 5,000 champion Meseret Defar and rival Tirunesh Dibaba.