Wilson Kipketer of Denmark broke his own 800 metre world record by clocking 1min 41.11sec in an IAAF Grand Prix meeting in Cologne yesterday. A second world record fell at the same meeting when Kenya's Bernard Barmasai smashed the world 3,000m steeplechase record with a time of 7min 55.72sec.

The previous record had been held by his compatriot Wilson Boit Kipketer, who clocked 7:59.08 at Zurich on August 13th.

Kipketer, who said before his race there was "no limit" to what he can achieve, was led through a perfect first 400m in exactly 49 seconds by Kenyan David Kiptoo and fully justified the estimated $75,000 appearance fee he was paid by the organisers.

In July, Kipketer equalled Sebastian Coe's 16-year-old 800m world record at the DN Games in Stockholm and then - less than two weeks ago - he claimed it all to himself when he ran 1:41.24 in Zurich.

It has been a stunning summer for the 26-year-old athlete. He twice smashed the world indoor record earlier this year at the World Indoor Championships in Paris, including doing the unheard of by breaking the record during the heats.

Barmasai, who ran under eight minutes for the first time in Zurich, said that achievement had convinced him he was capable of breaking the world record in Cologne.

In other outstanding performances, two-time world championship gold medalist Ana Fidelia Quirot of Cuba had the best time in the world this year in winning the women's 800m in 1:54.82 ahead of her great rival Maria Mutola of Mozambique.

Germany's Tim Lobinger joined the six-meter club and set a German national record in winning the pole vault in 6.00m, while Olympic gold medallist Donovan Bailey of Canada won the 100 metres in 9.99sec.