Ondieki Breaks the 27-Minute Mark in 10,000

Yobes Ondieki of Kenya won the 10,000 meters in 26 minutes 58.38 seconds--becoming the first to run the distance in under 27 minutes--at the Bislett Games Grand Prix track and field meet in Oslo on Saturday.

The previous record of 27:07.91 was set by countryman Richard Chelimo at Stockholm, Sweden, last Monday.

Noureddine Morceli, the world 1,500-meter record-holder from Algeria, failed in an attempt to break the world mile record, but won the “Dream Mile” in 3:47.78, the sixth-fastest time ever.

“I know I was capable of breaking the world record tonight,” said Ondieki, 32, competing in his first 10,000 this year. “I’m in such good shape and I had prepared well.”

Olympic champion Linford Christie of Britain won the 100 meters in a wind-aided 10.09. Andre Cason, the U.S. champion, withdrew from the final because of an illness.

Michael Johnson and Butch Reynolds gave the United States a 1-2 finish in the 400 meters. Johnson’s winning time was 44.89. Merlene Ottey of Jamaica won the women’s 100 in 10.94, the second-fastest time of the year behind American Gail Devers’ 10.82.

University Games

Two years to the day after Rene Arocha defected, a Cuban pitcher disappeared minutes before his team was scheduled to play Taiwan in Niagara Falls, N.Y. Edilberto Oropesa, 23, left the team before the game, according to Cuban assistant coach Dimnas Rene Bello.

But neither Bello nor the Immigration and Naturalization Service could confirm that Oropesa was attempting to defect.

Auto Racing

Nigel Mansell fell and suffered a sprained right wrist as he entered a media trailer for interviews after qualifying second behind Paul Tracy for today’s Cleveland Grand Prix. Mansell was still expected to drive.

Bryan Herta of Los Angeles took another step toward the Indy Lights championship, setting his second track record in as many days in winning the pole for today’s Buick Challenge of Cleveland.

Boxing

Julio Cesar Vazquez outpointed Venezuela’s Alejandro Ugueto to retain his World Boxing Assn. junior-middleweight title by unanimous decision at Tucuman, Argentina.

Steve Robinson retained his World Boxing Organization featherweight title with a ninth-round knockout of Britain’s Sean Murphy in Robinson’s hometown of Cardiff, Wales. Robinson was making the first defense of the title he won as a last-minute stand-in for Colombia’s Ruben Palacio in April.

College Basketball

A Pacific-10 Conference basketball referee was apparently fired over comments he made to a newspaper about officiating.

The Tucson Citizen said Tom Harrington’s contract was not renewed by the conference, but league Commissioner Tom Hansen would not say why.

Miscellany

Anita Martini, 54, the first female sportscaster to enter a major league locker room, died at her Houston home after a long illness. In 1974, she made history by entering the Dodgers’ locker room after a game at the Houston Astrodome. . . . Family and friends paid tribute Saturday to tennis champion Arthur Ashe during the dedication of a memorial marker at his grave site in Richmond, Va. It would have been his 50th birthday. . . . Walter Ray Williams Jr. became the ninth bowler to win five PBA tournaments in a season when he won the $130,000 Tucson Open. . . . The Charlotte Hornets signed forward David Wingate to a multiyear contract. . . . The Polish Soccer Assn. stripped Legia Warsaw of Poland’s soccer championship, citing “irregularities” during the last round of league matches. . . . As expected, Milutin Soskic has joined the U.S. soccer team as goalkeeper coach.