PALO ALTO, Calif. - Ethiopian star Werknesh Kidane bettered her own U.S. women's all-comers 10,000m record Sunday night at the 2005 Payton Jordan U.S. Open at Stanford University's Cobb Track & Angell Field in Palo Alto, Calif. The third event of USATF's 2005 Outdoor Championship Series, the Payton Jordan U.S. Open will be televised May 30 from 10-11:30 p.m., Eastern Time on ESPN2.

The meet is named in honor of former Stanford track and field coach Payton Jordan, who brought the 1960 U.S. Olympic Trials and the famed 1962 U.S.-U.S.S.R. track meet to Stanford.

Running virtually by herself throughout the race, Kidane, who placed fourth in the 10,000m at the 2004 Olympic Games, finished in 30 minutes, 19.38 seconds to better her previous U.S. all-comers standard of 30:41.40, set June 7, 2003, also at Stanford. Her performance is the fastest time in the world this year. Fellow Ethiopian Merima Hashim was the runner-up in 32:14.18.

Another 2005 world outdoor best was posted by Ethiopian standout Markos Geneti, who won the men's 5,000 meters in 13 minutes, 8.59 seconds. Kenyan Meshack Sang was the runner-up in 13:20.26, with 2003 U.S. Outdoor Championships third-place finisher Jorge Torres bettering the 'A' qualifying standard for the 2005 World Outdoor Championships with his third-place finish in 13:20.57.