THE SIDELINES : Arturo Barrios of Mexico Breaks 10,000-Meter Record in Berlin

Arturo Barrios of Mexico smashed the world record in the men’s 10,000 meters today, clocking 27 minutes, 8.23 seconds, at the ISTAF Mobil Grand Prix track and field meet .

Barrios broke by more than five seconds the mark of 27:13.81 set by Fernando Mamede of Portugal on July, 2, 1984, at Stockholm.

Barrios, 25, a mechanical engineering graduate from Texas A&M;, took early command of the race and sped home, cheered by about 35,000 at West Berlin’s Olympic Stadium.

He was well inside world record pace early, and it was clear that Mamede’s mark would not survive if Barrios could hold on.

He did, leaving the rest of the strong field well behind.