The Thales FBK Games held on Monday 31 May were a huge success. Kenenisa Bekele ran a formidable world record on the 5000 metres. This young athlete (21) from Ethiopia didn't want to hide his top form just before the Olympic Games. He ran 12.37,35 and took about 2 seconds off the old world record that was held by Haile Gebrselassie. Mr Hengelo, Gebrselassie's nick name after having run 4 world records in Hengelo in the past years, didn't participate in the 5000 m. He started in the 10,000 but to the disappointment of his many supporters, he didn't win. He finished second after his young countryman Sileshi Sihine, who defeated the former champion in a strong final sprint.
Other remarkable achievements were a new Dutch record in pole vaulting. Rens Blom cleared 5,77 metres, also a season's best world-wide. This magnificent performance is also Rens Blom's ticket to the Olympic Games in Athens later this year. Four other Dutch athletes managed to qualify for the Olympics, enthusiastically applauded by the crowd that filled the stadium.