Close shave for Dibaba in world marathon

Beijing (AFP) - Ethiopian Mare Dibaba lived up to her billing as the world's fastest marathon runner by winning the gruelling event at the world championships in a sprint finish on Sunday.

Dibaba timed 2hr 27min 35sec to edge Kenya's Helah Kiprop by just one second after a sprint in the final 50 metres of the race held in overcast conditions.

Kenyan-born Bahraini Eunice Kirwa claimed bronze in 2:27.39, while defending champion Edna Kiplagat could only finish fifth (2:28.18) behind Kenyan teammate Jemima Sumgong (2:27.42).

Dibaba set a rip-roaring pace over the last five kilometres, too fast for Kiplagat who dropped off. Sumgong then also found the pace too much, meaning the three podium finishers bolted into the Bird's Nest stadium alone and with all to race for down the 100m of track usually reserved for the likes of speed king Usain Bolt.

Kiprop tried to move on Dibaba on the outside, but the Ethiopian kicked home with a spent Kirwa settling for third.

The 25-year-old Dibaba, racing her 12th marathon, briefly transferred to Azerbaijan in 2009 under the name Mare Ibrahimova.

But she did so with a false birth date that was noted by IAAF in time to prevent her competing for her new country at the European junior championships, though she did go on to contest the Euro team championships for the Azeri team.

Dibaba then reverted to her Ethiopian citizenship, and this year finished first in the Xiamen marathon in a personal best-equalling 2:19.52 and came in second in Boston.