INQUIRER Sports

BOSTON, Massachusetts, United States?Bernard Lagat knocked almost seven seconds off the previous American record by winning the men's 5,000 meters race at the Boston Indoor Games on Saturday.

Lagat finished in a time of 13 minutes, 11.50 seconds and held off a challenge from Ethiopia's Dejen Gebremeskel, who clocked 13:11.78.

Former record holder Galen Rupp was fourth in 13:14.21 but still bettered his old record of 13:18.12.

Ethiopians finished first and second in the women's 3,000-meter race, with world junior champ Kalkidan Gezahegn finishing in 8:45.19. Genzebe Dibaba was second while American Shannon Rowbury placed third.

Dibaba's older sister, two-time Olympic gold medalist Tirunesh Dibaba, easily won the 5,000 meters in 14:44.53.

Tirunesh Dibaba missed the 2009 World Championships at Berlin due to a foot injury but is back on form after setting a 15-kilometer road race world mark in November of last year.

Dibaba owns the world outdoor 5,000 meter record, set in Oslo last year, and twice broke the world 5,000 meter indoor record at the Boston Indoor Games, doing so in the 2005 and 2007.

Kiwi Nick Willis, the silver medalist in the 1,500 at Beijing, defended his title in the men's mile in 3:55.27.