INDIANAPOLIS - The dominant force in the U.S. men's 3,000m steeplechase the last three seasons, Daniel Lincoln set a new national record with his performance Friday evening at the Golden Gala in Rome, Italy.

Lincoln finished fifth in 8:08.82 to eclipse the long-standing U.S. record of 8:09.17 set on August 28, 1985 by National Track & Field Hall of Famer Henry Marsh.

An Olympic Games finalist in 2004 and three-time NCAA steeplechase champ while at Arkansas, Lincoln won his third consecutive U.S. men's steeple title last month with his time of 8:22.78 at the AT&T USA Outdoor Championships in Indianapolis.

Elsewhere in Rome, reigning Olympic and world champion Jeremy Wariner cruised to an easy win in the men's 400 meters. In the highly-anticipated battle between Wariner and rising superstar Xavier Carter, Wariner assumed control with 200 meters remaining and continued to stretch his lead to the finish in winning in 43.62 seconds, which is the fastest time in the world this year. Wariner's performance is a new personal best, down considerably from his previous best-ever performance of 43.91 seconds from July 8, 2006 in Paris. Wariner now owns the four-fastest men's 400m times in the world this season.

Congolese runner Gary Kikaya, the 2004 World Indoor 400m bronze medalist, ran the second-fastest time of the day in winning "Race 2" in 44.66 seconds, with Carter placing third overall with his runner-up finish to Wariner in the "Race 1" contest in 44.76.

Also on the track, men's 100m co-world record holder Asafa Powell of Jamaica got it in gear halfway through the "Race 1" and won going away in 10.85 seconds. Reigning Olympic Games 200m gold medalist Shawn Crawford had the second-fastest time of the day with his win in "Race 2" in 10.02, which nearly equaled his seasonal best of 10.01 from Oslo on June 2.

In women's events on the track, 2005 World Outdoor Championships silver medalist Sanya Richards continued her world domination of the 400 meters this season, winning in 49.31 seconds, the second-fastest time in the world this year. Richards now owns the five-fastest outdoor times in the world this year.

Other U.S. winners on Friday included two-time Olympic silver medalist Terrence Trammell, who won the 110m hurdles in 13.15 seconds, and Lashinda Demus continued her season-long world dominance in the women's 400m hurdles with her win in 53.51 seconds. Demus owns the fastest time in the world this year of 53.02 seconds (Athens, July 3) and four of the top five times run globally this season.

Reigning World Outdoor champion Bershawn Jackson continued his winning ways in the men's 400m hurdles with his time of 47.86 seconds, and reigning USA indoor and outdoor champion Khadevis Robinson was the runner-up in the men's 800 meters in breaking the 1:44-barrier for the first time in his career in a personal best time of 1 minute 43.86 seconds.

Jamaican Sherone Simpson, who owns the fastest time in the world this year of 10.82 seconds, won the 100 meters in 10.87. Five-time Olympic medalist Marion Jones was the runner-up with her fastest time this season of 10.91 seconds, with 2006 Indoor Visa Championships Series winner Lisa Barber third in 11.08.

Reigning World Outdoor champion Michelle Perry was the runner-up in the women's 100m hurdles in 12.58 seconds, finishing closely behind Sweden's Susanna Kallur, who won the race in 12.52, and 2006 USA Outdoor champion Hazel Clark finished second in the women's 800 meters in 1:59.83.

In field event action, 2005 World Outdoor Championships silver medalist Brad Walker placed third in the men's pole vault with a clearance of 5.72m/18-9.25

The Golden Gala in Rome will be televised on OLN on Sunday, July 16 from 5-6 p.m., and rebroadcast on Wednesday, July 19 from 7-8 p.m. All times are Eastern.

For more information on the 2006 Golden Gala, including the complete results, visit www.iaaf.org.