Ethiopia's Mare Dibaba won the women's marathon at the world athletics championships after a thrilling sprint finish along the home straight of the Beijing National Stadium on Sunday.

The 25-year-old Dibaba out-kicked Kenya's Helah Kiprop to win the gruelling event by just one second, crossing the finish line in two hours, 27 minutes and 35 seconds.

"When we came into the stadium, I just tried my best. I took off and I won the marathon," said Dibaba. "Since I arrived in Beijing the weather was very hot and I was scared about that for the marathon. But this morning the weather changed.

It is very similar to our country and easy for us to run our own race. "From now on I will concentrate on the Rio Olympics in my training."

The long-striding Kiprop faded in the final 50 metres and had to settle for the silver medal, while the bronze went to the reigning Asian champion Eunice Kirwa, who was born in Kenya but now competes for Bahrain.

Kenya's Jemima Sumgong, among a group of four women who reached the Bird's Nest stadium still with a chance of winning, missed out on the podium after losing touch in the entry tunnel, finishing just seven seconds behind the winner.

Kenya's Edna Kiplagat, who won the last two world championships marathons, settled for fifth after she was dropped from the leading group about two km from the finish.

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