Solomon Haile smashes course, sets all-time mark.

Jim Lambert of DyeStat

Solomon Haile came to the Bronx with just one thing in mind. And he got it in sizzling fashion.

Haile, who moved to the United States from Ethiopia a year ago today, tore apart the legendary Van Cortlandt Park 2.5-mile layout with an eye-popping 12:06.7 to smash the course record while capturing the Boys E Division title at the 36th Manhattan Invitational.

Haile, a senior at Sherwood High School in Maryland, broke the course mark of 12:10.6 set in 2006 by Tommy Gruenewald of Fayetteville-Manlius.

Haile said he had a plan and stuck to it.

"I came here to break the record and knew I’d have to push pretty hard by myself the last part of the race to get it," said Haile, the 5-K Nike national champion indoors and outdoors last year. "I was at 10 flat at two miles and I knew I could run under 2:10 for that last half. It’s great to have a record like this. I’m very proud to have done this."

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