ADDIS ABABA, May 5: Ethiopia’s world record holder Kenenisa Bekele was forced to fight all the way before retaining his African 5,000 metre title on Sunday at the African Athletics Championships.

Kenya’s Isaac Songok took the race to his Ethiopian rival and the two men remained engaged in a neck-and-neck battle before Bekele eased off at the end to win in 13 minutes 49.67 seconds.

Songok, a former world junior 5,000m champion, was a close second in 13:49.91 with another Ethiopian Ali Abdush third in 13:50.64.

The African championships may have seen the last of another legend Maria Mutola of Mozambique who trailed home in second behind Kenyan newcomer Pamela Chelimo in the women’s 800 metres.

Mutola has announced she will retire after the Beijing Olympics.—AFP