Algerian Smashes Record in 3,000 : Track and Field: Nourredine Morceli drops 3.85 seconds from two-year-old mark.

Algeria’s Nourredine Morceli set his third world record Tuesday night, finishing the 3,000 meters in 7 minutes, 25.11 seconds.

Morceli, who has shattered world records for the mile and the 1,500, topped by nearly four seconds the previous record in the 3,000, set in 1992 by Kenya’s Moses Kiptanui.

“I’ve hungered for this since last year,” said Morceli, who finished the 3,000 last year at Monaco’s Hercules Grand Prix in 7:29.24. “I had to compensate for that.”

Kiptanui’s time of 7:28.96 was set Aug. 16, 1992 in Cologne, Germany. Morceli beat that by 3.85 seconds.

Behind Morceli Tuesday night were Haile Gebresilasie of Ethiopia (7:37.49), Abdellah Behar of France (7:39.29) and Jim Spivey of the United States (7:39.65).

Morceli, once a student at Riverside Junior College in California, holds world records in the mile (3:44.39) and the 1,500 (3:28.82). He was the 1,500 world champion in 1991 and 1993 and has dominated middle distance events.

But in the 1992 Olympics, Morceli finished seventh in the 1,500 when he was boxed in and was unable to get clear in the final lap. The gold medal went to Fermin Cacho of Spain.

In the pole vault, Kory Tarpenning, an American based in Paris, upset Sergei Bubka by clearing 19 feet, one-half inch.

Bubka, who set his 35th world record Sunday in Sestriere, Italy, was fourth at 18-8 1/2.

Kenyan William Sigei, world record holder in the 10,000, failed in his try for a record in the 5,000. He lost to fellow Kenyan Simon Chemoiyo, 13:11.46 to 13:07.57.

Other notable performances included the 19.94 American Michael Johnson ran in the 200 meters, and Burundi’s Venuste Nyongabo time of 3:32.25 in the 1,500 meters.

Zambian Samuel Matete won the 400 hurdles in 47.90, edging American Derrick Adkins’ 47.94.

In women’s categories, France’s Marie-Jose Perec won the 400 in 49.95, a world-best this year.