LONDON, Feb 17: Ethiopian Kenenisa Bekele set a world best for the men’s indoor two miles of eight minutes 4.35 seconds at a meeting in Birmingham, England, on Saturday.

Bekele’s time was faster than the 8:04.69 mark set by fellow Ethiopian Haile Gebrselassie in 2003.

“I’m very pleased. It’s incredible for me,” Bekele, the world and Olympic 10,000 metres champion, told BBC television.Norwegian Jaysuma Saidy Ndure won the men’s 60 metres in 6.56 seconds, with Briton Simeon Williamson in second in a personal best time of 6.57.

Williamson will hope his time is good enough to secure the second British place for next month’s world indoor championships in Spain alongside Dwain Chambers, whose selection has been a hot topic of debate this week because of the two-year ban he served for failing a drugs test in 2003.

Chambers, who won last week’s British trials, was not invited to the Birmingham grand prix.

Sweden’s Susanna Kallur, who set a world record of 7.68 seconds for the women’s 60 metres hurdles last week, easily won the event in Birmingham with a time of 7.75.

In the men’s 400 metres, Canadian Tyler Christopher cruised to victory in 45.80, while American David Oliver won the men’s 60 metres hurdles in 7.55.—Reuters