BEIJING (AP) — Tirunesh Dibaba of Ethiopia has won the 10,000 meters in an Olympic record 29 minutes, 54.66 seconds — the second fastest time ever for a woman at that distance.
The two-time 10,000 world champion sat just behind Turkey’s Elvan Abeylegesse until the start of the last lap, then went to the front with 350 meters to go.
She surged ahead down the back stretch and finished almost two seconds clear of Abeylegesse, who took silver in 29:56.34. The pair were only the second and third women to break the 30-minute barrier.
Wang Junxia of China set the world record of 29:31.78 in 1993.
Shalane Flanagan set a U.S. record 30:22.22 to win bronze.
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Tirunesh ran a stunning final lap
Ethiopia’s Tirunesh Dibaba won the women’s 10,000m in a new Olympic record by beating Turkey’s Elvan Abeylegesse in a thrilling battle in Beijing.
During a fast race which was stretched from the start, the pair were neck and neck going into the final six laps.
But at the sound of the bell, world champion Dibaba kicked out and held on to win in 29 minutes 54.68 seconds.
America’s Shalane Flanagan took the bronze medal while Britain’s Jo Pavey came 12th in a new personal best.
The winning time was the second-fastest ever and Pavey, who finished fourth at last year’s World Championships, slipped off the main group with 11 laps to go.
“I’m disappointed, you feel like you’ve made a fool of yourself,” Pavey told BBC Sport. “It was such a blistering pace.
“I’m disappointed because my training has been going well in the last year.”
Netherland’s Loran Kiplagat, formerly of Kenya, took control early on dragging the runners through the first kilometre in three minutes.
And as the field began to stretch, Abeylegesse bypassed the Dutch pace setter to signal her intent having finished second to Dibaba at last year’s World Championships in Osaka.
Her efforts reduced the number of runners in contention to four on a humid evening, but that was cut further to just Abeylegesse and Dibaba with six laps left.
Dibaba, however, was waiting on her rival’s shoulder and was merely waiting to strike, taking the lead as the bell sounded.
She then carved out an unassailable gap down the back straight to seal a superb World and Olympic double.
Britain’s Kate Reed, competing in her first Olympics, ended 33rd.