MONACO, July 26: Ethiopia's Kenenisa Bekele had an easy win in the 3,000 metres at the IAAF Super Grand Prix in Monaco's Stade Louis II but fell short in his attempt to break the world record on Wednesday.

Bekele, the Olympic and world 10,000 metres champion, was well outside Kenyan Daniel Komen's world record of seven minutes 20.67 when he clocked 7:29.32.

Australian Jana Rawlinson won the 400 metres hurdles in an impressive 53.46 seconds, the third fastest time of the year, as she prepares for a tilt at the world championship title in Osaka next month.

“Wow, what a race. I'm really happy with it,” Rawlinson said. “I knew I was there time-wise. I've run five races this year and they have all been 54 (seconds). I just had to get a good race together.”

The front three in the men's 800 metres ran the three fastest times of the year with South African Mbulaeni Mulaudzi winning in 1:43.74. Youssef Saad Kamel of Bahrein was second in 1:43.87 and Morocco's Amine Laalou third in 1:43.94.

French sprinter Christine Arron qualified to take part in the 100 metres at the world championships. The 33-year-old Arron won her race in 11.06 seconds with American Carmelita Jeter second in 11.11.

Leading results:

MEN’S:

100 metres: 1. Clement Campbell (Jamaica) 10.17 seconds; 2. Wallace Spearmon (US) 10.17; 3. Nesta Carter (Jamaica) 10.22.

400 metres: 1. LaShawn Merritt (US) 44.38 seconds; 2. John Steffensen (Australia) 44.92; 3. Michael Blackwood (Jamaica) 45.05.

800 metres: 1. Mbulaeni Mulaudzi (South Africa) 1 minute 43.74 seconds; 2. Youssef Saad Kamel (Bahrain) 1:43.87; 3. Amine Laalou (Morocco) 1:43.94.

1500 metres: 1. Belal Mansoor Ali (Bahrain) 3 minutes 32.28 seconds; 2. Mohamed Moustaoui (Morocco) 3:32.67; 3. Yassine Bensghir (Morocco) 3:33.04.

3000 metres: 1. Kenenisa Bekele (Ethiopia) 7 minutes 29.32 seconds; 2. Moses Kipsiro (Uganda) 7:32.03; 3. Alistair Cragg (Ireland) 7:32.49.

110-metre hurdles: 1. Terrence Trammell (US) 13.19 seconds; 2. Ryan Wilson (US) 13.22; 3. Aries Merritt (US) 13.24.

400-metre hurdles: 1. Angelo Taylor (US) 48.45 seconds; 2. Kerron Clement (US) 48.47; 3. Louis van Zyl (South Africa) 48.91.

Long jump: 1. Brian Johnson (US) 8.18 metres; 2. Chris Tomlinson (Britain) 7.99; 3. Issam Nima (Algeria) 7.81.

Pole vault: 1. Danny Ecker (Germany) 5.87 metres; 2. Steven Hooker (Australia) 5.87; 3. Romain Mesnil (France) 5.82.

Javelin throw: 1. Eriks Rags (Latvia) 80.01 metres; 2. Teemu Wirkkala (Finland) 78.43; 3. Stephan Steding (Germany) 78.00.

WOMEN’S:

100 metres: 1. Christine Arron (France) 11.06 seconds; 2. Carmelita Jeter (US) 11.11; 3. Me'Lisa Barber (US) 11.17.

1500 metres: 1. Maryam Yusuf Jamal (Bahrain) 4 minutes 00.43 seconds; 2. Bouchra Chaabi (Morocco) 4:03.62; 3. Ibtissam Lakhouad (Morocco) 4:03.84.

3000 metres: 1. Meriem Alaoui Selsouli (Morocco) 8 minutes 29.52 seconds; 2. Jennifer Rhines (US) 8:35.03; 3. Kimberley Smith (New Zealand) 8:35.31.

100-metre hurdles: 1. Damu Cherry (US) 12.74 seconds; 2. Lolo Jones (US) 12.78; 3. Josephine Onyia (Nigeria) 12.90.

400-metre hurdles: 1. Jana Rawlison (Australia) 53.46 seconds; 2. Melanie Walker (Jamaica) 54.32; 3. Anna Jesien (Poland) 54.58.

High jump: 1. Blanka Vlasic (Croatia) 2.03 metres; 2. Kajsa Bergqvist (Sweden) 2.00; 3. Ruth Beitia (Spain) 1.97.

Triple jump: 1. Tatyana Lebedeva (Russia) 15.10 metres; 2. Marija Sestak (Slovenia) 14.48; 3. Theresa N'Zola (France) 14.33.—Reuters