Surendra Singh's hopes of a top 10 finish went up in smoke as the Indian long distance runner finished the energy sapping 10,000m race at the 26th place in the Beijing [ Images ] Olympics [ Images ] on Sunday night.

Surendra, who has been eyeing a top 10 finish, was not at his best and his timing of 28:13.97 was good enough just for the 26th place among the 35 runners who finished the race.

This was a disappointing show by the 30-year-old runner who was more than 11 seconds off his personal best timing of 28:02.89 - also the national record -- which he had clocked in Spain last month to qualify for the Beijing Games.

Meanwhile, world record holder Kenenisa Bekele of Ethiopia defended his title, producing a devastating burst of speed on the last lap to see off any pretenders.

Bekele finished in a new Olympic record of 27min 01.17sec, with compatriot Sileshi Sihine claiming silver -- as he did at the Athens Games in 2004 -- in 27:02.77. 

Kenyan Micah Kogo ensured there was no Ethiopian clean-sweep, taking bronze in 27:04.11.

Bekele's team-mate Haile Gebreselassie, Olympic 10,000m champion in 1996 and 2000, came in sixth.