EUGENE, Oregon Moroccan world record-holder Hicham el Guerrouj ran the fastest outdoor mile ever on U.S. soil, clocking three minutes 49.92 seconds at the Prefontaine Classic on Sunday.

"I wanted to run 3:46, but the pacemakers got too far ahead," said the Olympic silver medalist, who hopes to challenge his world 1,500-meter record in Rome next month.

His time, the fastest in the world this year, bettered the previous U.S. soil best of 3:50.86, which Algerian Noureddine Morceli set in a pre-Olympic meeting in Atlanta in 1996.

American newcomer Alan Webb, only 18, wiped out former world record holder Jim Ryun's U.S. high school record with a fifth-place finish of 3:53.43. Ryun had run 3:55.3 in 1965, Reuters reported.

"He could be my number one rival if he works at it," El Guerrouj said of Webb. "He obviously has a great future."

The meeting also produced a shock defeat in the 100 meters for world record holder Maurice Greene, a quality, but wind-assisted, 200-meter victory for Marion Jones and four other season-leading times.

Jamaican Olympian Patrick Jarrett appeared to jump the gun and was never caught in running a wind-assisted 9.89 seconds in the men's 100 meters.

"It was the best race of my life," said Jarrett. "I just went."

American Olympian Tim Montgomery was second in 9.92 and Greene, who closed fast, finished third in the same time.

"I saw Jarrett two or three steps ahead," said Greene training partner Jon Drummond, who was fifth in 10.18. "It had to be a false start."

Greene just grinned when asked about the possibility of a false start. "I can't tell," he said. "It was my fault. I made a mistake. when he goes, I've got to go. I hesitated. I can't do that."