Berlin - Olympic champion Kenenisa Bekele emulated his mentor Haile Gebrselassie won he won a fourth straight 10,000 metres world title on Monday.

Bekele, 27, kicked at the bell to win the gold in a championship record 26 minutes 45 minutes 31 seconds and maintained his unbeaten career record over the distance.

Zersenay Tadese won the first ever medal for Eritria, a silver in 26:50.12 and Moses Masai took bronze for Kenya in 26:57.39, two days after his sister Linet Masai won the women's 10,000m.

Bekele has ruled the 10,000m since his first world title in 2003. He won again in 2005 and 2007 before Money, is the world record holder and has Olympic titles over 10,000m from 2004 and 2008 (plus 2008 gold in the 5,000m).

Gebrselassie, who is now the marathon world record holder, won four 10,000m world titles 1993-1999 and Olympic gold 1996 and 2000.

The top three broke a small leader group at 8,000m, and Tadese and Bekele were on their own another lap later. Bekele made the decisive move going into the final lap for victory in what was his first race over the distance this year.(dpa)