BEIJING, Aug 20: Ethiopian Kenenisa Bekele on Wednesday cruised into the final of the men's Olympic 5000 metres to keep his bid for an elusive long-distance running double on course.

Bekele , who won his second consecutive 10,000m Olympic gold on Sunday, finished third in his heat and advanced to Friday's final where he will seek to emulate the 5000/10,000m double last achieved by compatriot Miruts Yifter in the 1980 Moscow Games.

Kenyan Thomas Pkemei Longosiwa finished in the fourth and final automatic qualifying berth ahead of Australian Craig Mottram.

American Matthew Tegenkamp was a surprise winner of the first heat, winning the race to the line in a five-man sprint to clock 13:37.36.

Kenyan Eliud Kipchoge, Bekele's younger brother Tariku and Eritrean Kidane Tadesse followed him home.

The second heat winner was Edwin Chruiyot Soi of Kenya, who outsprinted Moses Ndiema Kipsiro of Uganda to the line, with Ethiopian Abreham Cherkos finishing third.

Bahrain's Rashid Ramzi, who won the 1500m on Tuesday, elected not to race.—AFP