Tirunesh Dibaba defends her 10,000m title, wins 3rd Olympic Gold

London, UK – Tirunesh Dibaba of Ethiopia won her third Olympic gold medal Friday at the London Games, easily defending her title in the women’s 10,000 meters.

The distance race closed out the first day of track and field action at Olympic Stadium and Dibaba ended the night in style.

The winner of both the 5,000 and 10,000 four years ago in Beijing, the four- time Olympic medalist kicked into high gear with over a lap to go and completed the race in 30 minutes, 20.75 seconds — 5.62 seconds before Kenyan Sally Jepkosgei Kipyego crossed the finish line.

Kipyego’s compatriot Vivian Jepkemoi Cheruiyot won bronze with a time of 30:30.44.

Ethiopians Werknesh Kidane and Beleynesh Oljira helped set the pace for Dibaba and finished fourth and fifth, respectively.

Amy Hastings had the best time of three Americans in the race but finished in 11th place, 49.94 seconds behind Dibaba.