Kenya's Sammy Kipketer ran the Carlsbad 5000 in 13 minutes, tying the world road race record the 19-year-old runner set in the same 5,000-meter event last year.
Kenyans took the top six spots in the race. Luke Kipkosgei finished 21 seconds behind Kipketer. He was followed by Abraham Chebii at 13:23, Tom Nyariki at 13:24, Leonard Mucheru at 13:26 and Reuben Cheruiyot at 13:28.
A Kenyan also won the women's event. Sally Barsosio pulled away in the final 500 meters to finish in 15:20, four seconds ahead of Eyerusalem Kuma of Ethiopia.
Sylvia Mosqueda of California finished third at 15:32, and was followed by Ejagayou Dibaba of Ethiopia at 15:34 and B. Dennehy Willis of Ireland at 15:37.
Deena Drossin, who set a U.S. 5K record in winning at Carlsbad last year, withdrew from this year's race minutes before the gun. She had been ill earlier in the week.
Pro triathlete Michellie Jones, who won a silver medal in the Olympic triathlon in Sydney, won the women's 39-and-under People's Race in 16:42. Jones edged Tamara Lave of San Diego in the final stretch after running at Lave's shoulder for the entire race. Jones won the same heat last year at Carlsbad.
Both winners collected $5,000. If Kipketer had shaved a second off his time to break his old record, he would have earned a $10,000 bonus.
"I wanted to break the world record and I knew I had it," Kipketer said. "I slowed just a little to enjoy the moment and lost it."
But he took it in stride.
"I'm not sad," he said. "I do not spend my winnings. Racing is the most important thing to me and I will use this as motivation next time."
In the men's wheelchair invitational, Keith Davis of Pacific Palisades won with a time of 10:52. Cheri Blauwet of Arizona won the women's wheelchair event for the second time in a row, finishing with a time of 13:17.