Kenya started selection on Saturday with the 10,000 meters in Nairobi for this year's World Athletics Championships in Berlin.

The athletics governing body had decided to break a long tradition by holding selection for the 10,000 metres as opposed to the trials, and were rewarded by a scintillating race.

Sammy Kitwara of Kenya Police ran the fastest 10,000m ever on Kenyan soil to win a tough race in 27:44.46 at the National Athletics Championships and book a place in the team.

"I'm very happy to make the national team. I have struggled for the last two years and thanks to my coach Moses Kiptanui, I have made it," said Kitwara.

"I was not expecting to win here were it not for the encouragement of my coach," he added.

Former national cross country 12K champion Gideon Lekumwok Ngatuny fought tooth and nail to clinch the second automatic place in 27:44.77.

"I will go all out for gold in Berlin. The injury that kept me out of Beijing and Amman completely healed and I stepped up my training for this trials. I'm grateful that they held them early so that we prepare well," Ngatuny said.

The 2007 senior World Cross Country bronze medalist Bernard Kipyego clocked 27:44.80 to finish third edging out Beijing Olympics fourth finisher, Moses Ndiema Masai. He will however wait for the selectors to decide on the third slot.

All top four finishers dipped under the 27:47 Berlin A-Standard qualifying times, a remarkable feat never achieved on Kenyan soil before.

"The pace was too slow. We need to increase lap times at the World Championships if we stand a chance of beating Ethiopians," said Kitwara, with a time of 59.47 seconds, who out-kicked distance running legend Haile Gebrselassie (59.50) at the City-Pier-City Half in March.

"I beat Gebrselassie but I cannot say I will out-sprint Bekele in Berlin since I do not know his shape. But I will try my best," Kitwara smiled when reminded of his most notable achievement to date.

World junior 10,000 meters record holder Linet Masai easily won the women's race with Lineth Chepkirui finishing second while Phillies Ongori was third.

The 10,000m races at the National Championships were used as trials for Berlin with the top two finishers gaining automatic tickets.