Qananiisaa Won Double Gold at IAAF Moscow 2006

Kenenisa Bekele wins again and makes it look easy

13 March 2006- Ethiopia's Olympic 10000m and four-time double cross-country champion Kenenisa Bekele easily won the world 3000m title on the final day of competition at the 11th IAAF World Indoor Championships in Moscow, Russia, and in so doing became the first athlete ever to win world titles over cross-country, indoors and outdoors. What's more, the manner in which he disposed of such accomplished opponents like Qatar's Saif Said Shaheen and Kenya's Eliud Kipchoge suggests that he will continue to conquer the world of distance running for many years to come. Sitting comfortably behind the leaders for much of the race, Bekele sped past his opponents in the final few laps to win this title in a time of 7:39.32 minutes with Shaheen and Kipchoge completing the other medal places. Bekele's younger brother Tariku finished 6th. 3000 Metres MEN Results 1. Kenenisa Bekele (ETH) 7:39.32 2. Saif Saaeed Shaheen (QAT) 7:41.28 3. Eliud Kipchoge (KEN) 7:42.58 4. Alistair Cragg (IRL) 7:46.43 SB 5. Shadrack Korir (KEN) 7:47.11 6. Tariku Bekele (ETH) 7:47.67 Kenenisa Bekele completes unique trio of world titles By Alison Wildey MOSCOW (Reuters) - Ethiopia's Kenenisa Bekele became the first athlete to win world titles on three surfaces when he took the men's 3,000 meters crown at the world indoor championships on Sunday. The world and Olympic 10,000 meters champion pulled away with one and a half laps to go to win in seven minutes 39.32 seconds. He now holds world titles indoors, outdoors and over cross-country. Double world steeplechase champion Saif Saaeed Shaheen of Qatar used his superb finishing speed to make sure of silver ahead of Kenya's Eliud Kipchoge in 7:41.28. Kipchoge, the fastest man in the world over the distance this year, was third in 7:42.58. Bekele, 23, is also the only man to win the long and short course races at the world cross-country championships. He has done that double four successive times. "After winning titles outdoors and in cross-country, indoors is like a fun-run for me," Bekele told reporters. "I really sprinted over the last two laps. I was controlling the race but I didn't expect it to be easy as Shaheen and Kipchoge are top-class athletes." Bekele added that he hoped to compete at this year's world cross-country championships in Japan on April 1-2. The three favorites were happy to hang back for the first 1,000 meters and let Irishman Alistair Cragg set the pace. Bekele went to the front and increased the speed with seven laps to go, followed by Kipchoge and Shaheen. The world 5,000 and 10,000 record holder kicked for home with three laps to go and then found even more speed to leave Shaheen in his wake It was the first time the three medallists had met on the track and they all shook hands after the race. The race was fantastic," a delighted Shaheen said. "I hope in the summer I get a chance to run with him again. I don't want to say I'll beat him because I might not but I will try," added the Kenyan-born Qatari, who switched nationalities in 2003. Bekele had high hopes for his younger brother Tariku, who finished sixth in his first major final. "It was a little bit difficult for him he is very young," Bekele said of the 19-year-old. "I help him, we train together. I hope for him in the future he has a lot of talent."