Kenenisa Bekele, the Olympic and world 10,000m champion, will make his U.S. outdoor debut at the Prefontaine Classic IAAF Grand Prix in Eugene, Ore., the premiere annual meet in the U.S., on Sunday, June 10, organizers have announced.

The 24-year-old Ethiopian star, a world record holder both indoors and outdoors, will compete over 2 miles, the first time he'll contest the distance outdoors.

"Over the years, we have had many great athletes compete at the Prefontaine Classic," said meeting director Tom Jordan, "But few have dominated their events like Kenenisa Bekele. Sergey Bubka, Hicham El Guerrouj, Michael Johnson... Bekele joins that select few."

Over his short but sterling career, Bekele has already amassed a growing collection of international titles on the track --gold in the 10,000m at the 2004 Olympic Games and at the 2003 and 2005 World Championships and Olympic silver and World bronze at 5000m-- along with a string of world records in the 5000m (12:37.35) and 10,000m (26:17.53), as well as the 5000m indoors.

While he didn't break his own world records on the track last summer, his dominance remained virtually unchallenged. He won seven of his nine 5000m races last summer, ran under 13 minutes a record six times, and won a share of the IAAF Golden League Jackpot after taking victories in five of world's six premiere meetings.

Bekele competed sparingly last winter, but made virtually every appearance count. After a pair of commanding cross country victories in Edinburgh and Seville, he produced a 4:49.99 World indoor best in the 2000m in Birmingham and a world-leading 7:30.51 for 3000m three days later in Stockholm. But in his last race, Bekele, a strong favorite for a sixth successive world cross country title, succumbed to the arduous conditions in Mombasa last month and failed to finish the race.

The Prefontaine Classic, named in honor of American running legend Steve Prefontaine, celebrates its 33rd edition this year. The third stop on the four-meet Visa Championships series will be broadcast live in the U.S. from 4-6 p.m. eastern on NBC.

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