The previous mark of 12:39.36 was set by fellow Ethiopian Haile Gebrselassie in Helsinki on June 13, 1998.

Trailing Bekele in second place was compatriot Mulugeta Wendimu, in a time of 13:01.28, with Kenya's Hillary Chenonge third in 13:08.77.

"It was very difficult," Bekele told Dutch public television after taking the lead in the fourth lap and then pulling away from the pack in the seventh.

"The pace was a little slow (at the beginning)."

Bekele, the world 10,000 metres champion, beat Gebrselassie over that distance at last August's Paris world championships.

He will contest the 10,000 metres event at a meeting in Ostrava, Czech Republic, on June 8.

"I haven't decided what to run at the Olympics [ Images ] and the results will help me determine that," the Ethiopian said earlier this year.