Bekele hopes to complete another title hat-trick in Sunday's 12km

The 21-year-old overcame driving rain in Brussels to cover the 4km distance in 11 minutes, 31 seconds.

His compatriot Gebre-egziabher Gebremariam was five seconds behind in second place while Maregu Zewdie completed an Ethiopian clean sweep.

Bekele also hopes to win the 12km race for the third year running on Sunday.

The heir to legendary compatriot Haile Gebrselassie got off to a flying start and the only slight moment of alarm came when he was passed by Belgian runner Ridouane Es-Saadi and Kenya's Eliud Kirui after 2km.

Kirui led at the bell but that was as good as it got for the Kenyans.

Bekele strode imperiously away and as he approached the line felt relaxed enough to wave twice to the crowd. He then raised two fingers as he crossed the line.

But the Kenyans who had promised to overhaul their bitter Ethiopian rivals were too far back to see the gesture.

Great Britain's Andrew Graffin, a 1500metre and 5000m specialist, finished 37th in a time of 12 mins, 19secs.

Men's World Cross Country 4km short course results:

1. Kenen Isa Bekele (Ethiopia) 11 minutes 31 seconds
2. Gebre Gebremariam (Ethiopia) 11:36
3. Maregu Zewdie (Ethiopia) 11:42
4. Abdullah Ahmad Hassan (Qatar) 11:44
5. Saif Saaeed Shaheen (Qatar) 11:44
6. Eliud Kirui (Kenya) 11:45
7. Isaac Songok (Kenya) 11:45
8. Sultan Khamis Zaman (Qatar) 11:50
9. Craig Mottram (Australia) 11:51
10. Adil Kaouch (Morocco) 11:56