Yomi Omogbeja (26/07/2006)

Ethiopia's World 5000m record holder Meseret Defar earned herself a one-carat diamond, after smashing the Stockholm's 1912 Olympic Stadium women's 3000m record at the DN Galan Super Grand Prix meeting in Sweden.

Defar shaved almost 16 seconds off the previous record held by Kenya's Edith Masai to win in 8:24.66, the fastest 3000m timing since 2002.

The 22-year-old ran a scorching last half to consign compatriot Burika Gelete Bati (8:25.92) and Kenya's African record-holder Edith Masai (8:27.17) to the second and third positions respectively.

The diamond, worth approximately USD 10,000, has been awarded to every Stadium record breaker since 1994.

Defar also the Olympic champion, told reporters: "I’m so happy with the diamond, thank you Stockholm. I just love being here".

She rewrote the African 5000m record last August at the 29th Van Damme Memorial - IAAF/TDK Golden League meeting in Brussels where she won in 14:28.98, relegating compatriot's Berhane Adere's 14:29:32 mark to the history books.

She came very close to breaking the women's 3000m World Indoor record which she narrowly missed last year, running 8:30.94 to post the third-fastest time in history at the 2006 Reebok Boston Indoor Games in January.

Her time was bested only by Berhane Adere's four-year-old world record of 8:29.15 and Defar's own 8:30.05, also run at the same meet in 2005.

Bekele's debut

Ethiopian world record-holder and multiple World and Olympic 10,000m champion Kenenisa Bekele also claimed his first ever 1500m triumph.

Bekele overcame strong challenge from Moroccan World silver medallist Adil Kaouch and Kenyan Isaac Kiprono Songok to win in 3:33.08.

Songok was second in 3:33.25, Kaouch third in 3:33.36 and Algerian Tarek Boukensa fourth in 3:34.13.

Bekele said: "It was a very strong race, this was my first time running 1500m – and it was not easy because I was not prepared for this distance.

"The support from the crowd was phenomenal; I had a great time tonight."

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