Bislett Grand Prix Track and Field Meet : Kristiansen Cuts 46 Seconds Off Record

Ingrid Kristiansen lowered her world record in the women’s 10,000 meters by nearly 46 seconds Saturday with a time of 30 minutes 13.74 seconds at the Bislett Grand Prix track and field meet.

It was the 46th world record at the storied Bislett Stadium since 1924 and certainly one of the most impressive.

The 30-year-old Norwegian, who also owns the world’s fastest women’s marathon time, set the previous mark of 30:59.42 here last year.

“I found my rhythm from the start,” she said. “I didn’t feel tired. It’s always nice to run when you’re running fast.”

Two male runners, Steve Cram and Said Aouita, also clocked the fastest times of the year in their races.

Cram, from England, won the mile, the final event on the program, in 3:48.31. He set the world record of 3:46.32 here last year. Steve Scott was second in 3:48.73, with fellow American Jim Spivey third in 3:49.80.

Aouita, who skipped the mile because he had done very little speed work recently, won his first-ever 10,000-meter race in 27:26.11. It was well off Portugal’s Fernando Mamede’s world record of 27:13.81.

Mark Nenow of the United States was second in 27:28.80 for a personal best that was just three seconds off Alberto Salazar’s American record.

Aouita, Morocco’s biggest sports star, made a brave effort, running the last 2 1/2 miles in pain after being spiked on the fourth lap.

“I don’t know who spiked me,” he said. “I didn’t feel any pain during the first part of the race. I would have dropped out had Nenow not run so well. He helped me stay in the race.”

Aouita’s ankle injury will leave him out of action for at least two weeks and will prevent him from competing in a Grand Prix meet Monday at Helsinki, Finland.

Kristiansen used tactics similar to those she employed in setting the record last year. She broke away from frontrunners Aurora Cuhna of Portugal and Lesley Welch of the United States at the two-mile mark and then increased the pace on every lap.

Kristiansen also set a world record in the 5,000 at the Bislett Games in 1984, a mark later bettered by Zola Budd of Britain.

Kristiansen ran the 10,000--a new Olympic event in the 1988 Summer Games at Seoul--once before this season, but it was a road race.

With about 400 yards left, Kristiansen lapped Cunha, who finished second in 31:29.41 for a Portuguese record. Third went to Erika Vereb of Hungary in 32:19.86.

Heike Drechsler of East Germany, who in the last two weeks has broken or tied world records in the long jump and the 200 meters, ran to a wind-aided time of 10.80 seconds in the women’s 100 meters. Jeanette Bolden of the United States was second in 11.11.

Earlier, Debbie Flinthoff upset world record-holder Sabine Busch of East Germany in the women’s 400-meter hurdles, setting an Australian record in the process.

Flinthoff caught Busch after the final hurdle and hit the tape in 53.76 seconds. It was the fastest time of the year, a Bislett Stadium record and just .21 of a second off Busch’s world record.

“I’m very pleased with my win and the time,” Flinthoff said. “She (Busch) really faded towards the end.”

Busch, who set her world record at East Berlin last year, was timed in 54.05.

Flinthoff, a 26-year-old Melbourne resident, held the previous Australian record of 54.28. She said the world record will probably fall this year.

“It’s possible, but there aren’t many races around,” said Flinthoff, who was third in the World Cup finals at Adelaide, Australia, last year for her best championship performance. The women’s 400 hurdles is not a Grand Prix event this year. It was Flinthoff’s first race since arriving in Europe 10 days ago. She said she will have only one more race--at Nice, France--before the Commonwealth Games at Edinburgh, Scotland, in late July.

Jack Buckner of Britain and intermediate hurdler Danny Harris of the United States also set 1986 world bests.

Buckner, running alone most of the race, won the 3,000 meters in 7:40.43 seconds. Americans Terry Brahm and Ray Wicksell were second and third, respectively.

Harris, the Olympic silver medalist, was clocked in 47.82 in the 400 hurdles. He finished just ahead of fellow American Andre Phillips.

America’s Valerie Brisco-Hooks, who won three gold medals in the 1984 Olympics, easily won the women’s 200 meters in 22.59 for her third straight Grand Prix victory. She won both the 200 and 400 at Stockholm last Tuesday.

Chandra Cheeseborough was second in 23.14, Cathy Cook of Britain third in 23.24 and Florence Griffith of the United States fourth in 23.93.