CNN.com - Dibaba leads Ethiopian clean sweep

Dibaba comes home alone after a blistering finish to win the 10,000m

HELSINKI, Finland -- Tirunesh Dibaba led an Ethiopian clean sweep of the women's 10,000 meters final on the first day of the world championships.

The 20-year-old Dibaba, the 2003 world 5,000m gold medallist who also won the long and short course world cross country titles this year, beat defending champion Berhane Adere into second place with a winning time of 30:24.02.

Adere clocked 30:25.41 and the bronze medal went to Dibaba's older sister Ejegayehu Dibaba, who ran 30:26.00.

"I wanted to be first here and I felt quite confident that I could do it," said Dibaba, the youngest ever world champion two years ago aged 18 years 90 days in Paris.

"For the last lap I ran really hard," she added after her final 400 was clocked at just under 59 seconds. "I don't have much experience of the 10,000 meters and I expected it to be a faster race than it was."

Dibaba, who has set the world leading times in the 5000 and 10,000 this season, her first at the longer distance, is targeting a unique track double in Helsinki.

The feat has not been achieved since Ethiopian Miruts Yifter did it at the 1980 Olympics in Moscow and has never occurred at a world championship.

A tactical final run in light drizzle at the Olympic stadium carried no fireworks until the final lap when the Ethiopians sprinted away at the bell.

Dibaba, who bears a striking resemblance to her cousin and former Olympic champion Derartu Tulu, hovered on Adere's shoulder before going into overdrive.

She powered away off the bend and comfortably kept her compatriot at bay down the straight in a 58-second final lap.

Olympic champion Xing Huina of China, who caused a major surprise by winning in Athens, was fourth.

Briton Paula Radcliffe, looking to make up for her Olympic failures by again attempting the 10,000 and marathon double in Helsinki, set the pace until just over halfway before dropping back into the leading pack.

Radcliffe briefly took advantage of a slackening pace to hit the front again with four laps to go but soon faded and finished ninth.

The Englishwoman, still seeking her first major track title, cast a positive light on her run. Unfortunately, it was too windy so I couldn't make it as hard as I wanted to," said the world marathon record holder.

"I was using it as preparation for the marathon but wanted to run this race and enjoy it. I knew I was not going to be 100 percent sharp."

Perez pays tribute to teammate

Ecuador's Jefferson Perez has retained the world 20km walk title after unselfish support from his compatriot Rolando Saquipay.

Saquipay set a burning pace in the latter stages of the race to help thwart the challenge of Spain's Francisco Javier Fernandez who had led through the first half of the race.

"Saquipay sacrificed himself for his country," said Perez.

World record holder Perez, who became Ecuador's first Olympic medallist when he took gold at Atlanta in 1996, won in one hour 18 minutes 35 seconds, just over a minute ahead of Fernandez. Spain's Juan Manuel Molina took the bronze.

Perez became a national hero after his victory in Atlanta, receiving a pension for life and having a postage stamp created in his honour.

A recent survey, however, showed that 80 percent of Ecuadoreans thought he would not win in Helsinki, giving Perez an extra incentive to perform well.

"I wanted to prove them wrong," said Perez, who improved his seasonal best by around 10 minutes. "To cut 10 minutes is difficult for any athlete, and I thank God for giving me that strength to do it today."

He said he had no thoughts of retirement in the next two years but does not yet know whether he will go to the 2008 Beijing Olympics. "I need to recharge my batteries first before I can make such commitments," he said.

Fernandez, many people's favorite to win the gold medal after a number of victories this year, led for most of the race before finishing second behind Perez, just as he did in Paris two years ago.

Perez pulled away from Fernandez with just over 4km remaining, opening a decisive gap on the Spaniard, who admitted struggling with stomach problems in the second half of the race.

"Considering that I could not compete to one hundred percent I have to be satisfied today," said the European champion, who also took silver at last year's Athens Olympics, behind Italian Ivano Brugnetti.

Russian Ilya Markov, the 1999 world champion, was disqualified from the race after receiving three warnings.

Nelson finally takes gold

Perennial runner-up Adam Nelson finally struck gold in the shot put.

The American's opening effort of 21.73 meters was enough to earn him his first global title after he finished second in 2001 and again two years ago.

He was also a silver medallist at the last two Olympics.

Dutchman Rutger Smith was second with 21.29 and Germany's Ralf Bartels snatched the bronze medal from Olympic champion Yuriy Bilonoh thanks to his final effort of 20.99.

Ukraine's Bilonoh had been in third place from the first round with a put of 20.89.

American Christian Cantwell, who was the best in qualifying, was fifth and 2003 world champion Andrei Mikhnevich of Belarus finished sixth.

"I've been knocking on the door for the past five years and finally doing it in this one moment means everything has come full circle," said Nelson.

"I lost the first one (the 2000 Olympics) to a Finnish shot putter (Arsi Harju) and then I won my first title here in Helsinki. It's really an overwhelming feeling.

"I came here in the best shape of my life and I'm pleased with the way I threw today," added Nelson, who registered four throws over 21 meters.

Nelson, Cantwell and John Godina went into the championships holding the top nine puts of the year between them, giving rise to hopes of an American sweep.

But triple world champion and title favourite Godina failed to make the final after only managing 19.54 for eighth in his group.

"I've had four injuries in eight weeks, I've had a stomach virus. I've lost five kilos. And it all came after the best pre-season I've ever had," said Godina, who has the year's leading put of 22.20.

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