Men's 10,000

Final

What started out as the 2000 Olympic trio laying down a steady 28:20 pace to break away from the rest of the field, turned into a war of surges. The ultimate victor was Abdi Abdirahman in 28:23.82.

The Somalian emigre and Arizona grad took the lead for good at 7200m (18 laps), rolling away from AR holder Meb Keflezighi (28:39.64) and Alan Culpepper (28:49.03) in a race run in near-80-degree conditions.

Abdirahman was the race's first leader as well, pacing a field in which Culpepper, Keflezighi, NCAA champion Ryan Shay and Chris Graf ran near the front.

At 2K, former Michigan Stater Jim Jurcevich took a brief spin in the lead, as Shay attempted to join his breakaway.

But at 3600m (9 laps) Abdirahman reasserted himself, joined by his fellow Sydney Olympians. Weldon Johnson (4th, 29:01.40) and Matt Downin (6th, 29:17.45) attempted to lead the chase, but it was now a three-man contest, with each of the trio taking turns up front.

Culpepper led at 5K (14:10.22).

In retrospect, favorite Keflezighi's fate may have been foreshadowed when Abdirahman, with his characteristic no-knee-lift stride--attempted a break at 6K and the AR holder was briefly gapped.

When Abdirahman made his final successful break, Keflezighi--who said he had injured an Achilles two weeks ago and hadn't run a track workout since--fought to chase, but Culpepper appeared to be fighting a sidestitch.