BRUSSELS - A Kenyan quartet produced a world record in the 4x800 relay while six athletes remained alive in the $1 million IAAF Golden League Jackpot chase at the Ivo Van Damme Memorial in the Belgian capital on Friday evening, held in front of a capacity crowd of 47,000 that celebrated the meet's 30th anniversary.

Clocking 7:02.43, a Kenyan quartet anchored by world indoor champion Wilfred Bungei improved the previous standard of 7:03.89 set 24 years ago by a British team that included legends Steve Cram and Sebastian Coe. Joseph Mutua (1:46.3), William Yiampoy (1:44.6), Ismael Kombich (1:46.1) and Bungei (1:45.5), beat back a strong challenge by a U.S. squad who reached the line in 7:02.82, also under the previous mark. In fifth when he got the baton from Jebrah Harris, Khadevis Robinson sizzled a 1:44.03 split, the fastest of the race, to give the U.S. squad a narrow lead at the midway point. [Note: Statistician Mark Butler clocked Robinson in 1:43.8.]

The meet opened with the men's 10,000, another solid staple of the Brussels program where the relatively little-known Micah Kogo wasted little time to make an immediate impact in the event. With his 26:35.63 victory, the 20-year-old Kenyan became the fifth fastest to ever run the distance, with the 10th fastest performance ever.

Admirably fulfilling his duties, pacemaker Joseph Kosgei reached the half in 13:19.64. But by that time, only Kogo, Eritrean Zersenay Tadesse and Ugandan Boniface Kiprop remained in contention. Tadesse did most of the leading in the latter stages, and he even injected a pair of quick laps in an attempt to create an insurmountable gap on his pursuers. But it didn't work. Kogo took the lead as they approached the bell and closed with a 58.2 final lap to finish nearly two seconds ahead of Tadesse (26:37.25), with Kiprop third in 26:41.95. Ibrahim Jeylan was the first Ethiopian to reach the finish, crossing in 27:02.81 to finish a distant fourth. Running in his debut over the distance, American Adam Goucher was 13th in 27:59.41.

While promised world record assaults in the men's and women's 5000 ultimately didn't materialize, the races underscored this year's dominance of the event's key players.

After suffering at the hands of Tirunesh Dibaba's blistering kick too many times, Meseret Defar presumed that there was but one way to beat her rival in the 5000: by setting off on a world record pace. With Dibaba always just a step behind, Defar, the world record holder, set off on the brutal tempo immediately, and 3000 meters into the race the pair were seven seconds inside of record pace. Visibly tiring, Defar slowed dramatically over the next several laps --at one point even motioning to Dibaba to help share the lead-- allowing Briton Jo Pavey to catch up with two-and-half-laps to go. But yet again, Dibaba simply bided her time. Approaching the bell, the double world champion prepared to strike, and heading into the turn, she did. But she didn't manage to shake Defar until midway through the final turn. Closing with a 58.38 last lap, she crossed the line in 14:30.63, the 10th fastest performance of all time. Defar was well back in 14:33.78 for second, while Pavey held on for third in 14:39.96, the fastest by a European this year.

American Jen Rhines finished eighth in 14:55.18, two spots ahead of new Zealander Kim Smith's 14:56.58 national record, the first trip for each into sub-15 territory.

The men's race was yet another display of Kenenisa Bekele's brilliance, at least at this late stage of the season. By the time his younger brother Tariku stepped aside after his pacing chores, reaching the 3000 mark in just over 7:34, Bekele was all alone for the remaining five laps. He eventually crossed in 12:48.09, again a world leading performance and the third fastest ever for the 24-year-old Ethiopian. Well back was 2003 world champion Eliud Kipchoge (13:01.88), who was only able to stay with the Bekele brothers for about six minutes.

After his 9.99 victory in the 100, his 13th of the year, Asafa Powell was not particularly pleased. Just ask the unfortunate flower girl assigned the task of handing the winner his victory bouquet. Uncharacteristically, the usually laid back Jamaican forcefully shoved the flowers aside, still fuming at the quick starter's gun that left him, and virtually the entire field, in the blocks when the race went off.

"Those were like 800 meter reaction times," said Powell, much more composed and smiling, after the race. "Everyone was complaining."

He needed nearly three-fourths of the straight to recover and take the lead, and in so doing, collected his 10th sub-10 of the season to break the record of most sub-10s in a season previously held by Maurice Greene.

"It was perfect out there today," Powell continued, "and I was feeling great. I was wondering afterwards if I would be able to run under 9.70."

Marcus Brunson, who last week in Zurich produced his first sub-10, finished second in 10.06, equalling his Paris and Rome finishes, with Leonard Scott edging Francis Obikwelu for third, each clocking 10.11.

Sherone Simpson had the women's 100 locked up by the 40 meter point, winning handily in 10.95. Me'Lisa Barber was a distant second (11.10), with Stephanie Durst (11.18) third.

Both the men's and women's 400s went virtually as predicted with both Sanya Richards and Jeremy Wariner taking commanding wins to maintain their perfect five-for-five records in Golden League races.

In the women's race, Richards won by a full second in 50.02, over what appeared to be, as in some other events, a somewhat tired field. Novlene Williams (51.02) won the battle for second over Bulgarian Vanya Stambolova (51.13), who waited too long to make her trademark attack off the final bend.

Despite a 15 minute delay prior to the race to fix an electrical mishap, Wariner was never threatened in the men's race, which he won handily in 44.29, with Gary Kikaya (44.62) holding off LaShawn Merritt (44.74) for second. In his second outing as a Bahraini, Jamaican-born Brandon Simpson notched a national record 44.93 to finish fourth.

Following up on his 9.84 in the short dash in Zurich, Tyson Gay had little difficulty disposing of a top notch field in the 200, which he dominated in 19.79 to continue his streak as perhaps the year's top all-around sprinter. [For more on Gay, please see TPR #546.] Xavier Carter came closest, finishing in 19.97, just ahead of Wallace Spearmon's 20.02.

In his assault on his own world record in the 3000 meter steeplechase here last year, Saif Saaeed Shaheen found himself alone about 4:30 into the race. This year, with adequate pacesetters an increasingly rare commodity, he was left by himself just 2:40 into the race. Kenyan Richard Matelong tried to make a race of it, and was still in contact with the two-time world champion with two laps to go. From there, Shaheen, who has admitted that his total domination of the event has left him bored, simply forged ahead to take an easy 8:04.32 win, more than four seconds ahead of the Kenyan. With a strong finish, Frenchman Bob Tahri finished third in 8:09.53, with Ezekiel Kemboi (8:14.54) fourth.

Considering the fierce competitiveness of the women's high jump this year, the event somewhat fizzled here, with none in the deep field ultimately managing a two meter clearance. That mattered little to the sell-out crowd when Belgium's recently-minted European champion Tia Hellebaut took top honors on the count back. The evening belonged to the 28-year-old, who was perfect through 1.98. In a repeat of the Gothenburg finish, Zurich winner Venelina Veneva of Bulgaria finished second over Swede Kajsa Bergqvist, the latter needing a second try at 1.98.

Belgium's other track queen, double European sprint champion Kim Gevaert, had an easier time --and over a much more modest field-- than her compatriot Hellebaut to deliver a home win for the Brussels crowd. Never seriously challenged, the 28-year-old won in 22.68, well ahead of Olympic bronze medallist Debbie Ferguson (22.93), the only other woman to dip under 23 seconds.

Again, it was Yelena Isinbayeva who capped the evening, and again, the Russian barely broke a proverbial sweat. Opening at 4.66, she secured the win with a hefty second try clearance at 4.81, before taking three jumps at a would-be world record of 5.03. Still ironing out technical changes with her approach and plant, none of the three were close.

Behind her, Brazil's Fabiana Murer continued her consistent rise to the world's elite. Last weekend in Monaco, she upped her South American record to 4.66. Here, she equalled it on her first attempt --after first try clearances at 4.36, 4.46, and 4.56. One of her follow-ups at 4.71 showed there might be more from the 25-year-old. Monika Pyrek of Poland needed three tries at 4.66 to finish third, with four others topping out a 4.56. In her first competition in two months, Olympic bronze medallist Anna Rogowska only managed her opening 4.36.

In the 100 meter hurdles, World champion Michelle Perry cruised to her sixth straight victory, taking control of the race just beyond midway en route to her 12.55. In a blanket finish for the runner-up spot, Jamaica's Commonwealth champion Brigitte Foster-Hylton got the nod over Lolo Jones, each stopping the clock in 12.71, with European Champion Susanna Kallur fourth (12.72). After surging well over the second half, U.S. champion Virginia Powell hit the final hurdle hard, slowing her to fifth (12.77).

Irving Saladino stayed alive in the drive for five GL wins, controlling the long jump competition since his 8.31 in the second round. He didn't improve, nor did he need to. Greek Louis Tsatoumas (8.15) took second for his best GL finish of the season, with Mohamed Al-Khuwalidi of Saudi Arabia third (8.12).

Frenchman Mehdi Baala emerged as the winner from a barely manageable field of 21 in the 1500, outkicking Kenyan Alex Kipchirchir 3:32.01 to 3:32.13. World champion Rachid Ramzi, who followed through on his promise to follow the brisk pace through 1200, ran out of steam soon thereafter and faded to a distant 13th.

After a 59.8 for the first lap, the women's 800 became a tactical battle, with Hasna Benhassi timing her move perfectly on the final bend en route to a convincing 1:59.06 win, well ahead of Kenya's quick-closing Janeth Jepkosgei (1:59.65). Briton Rebecca Lyne closed strong as well to edge Jamaican Kenia Sinclair for third by a mere 1/100 of a second in 1:59.74.

Elsewhere, Norway's Olympic champion Andreas Thorkildsen beat arch rival Tero Pitkamaki in the javelin by just over a meter, 86.97 to the Finn's 85.91.

With five wins in five Golden League races, Powell, Richards, Wariner and Dibaba have already secured a share of $500,000, and should they win again next Sunday at Berlin's ISTAF, will be eligible for a chunk of a second $500,000. With four wins in the series thus far, Saladino and Bekele will each get a chunk of the first half million should they win again in the German capital.