China's Dong Finished Fourth in Women's 5,000m

China's Dong Yanmei Finishes 4th in 5,000 Meter Final

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Olga Yegorova, who was reinstated by the IAAF after controversial EPO positive test, took the women's 5,000m world title at the eighth World Athletics Championships Edmonton Saturday afternoon.

The 29-year-old Russian outraced all her rivals to clock in her winning time of 15:03.39, beating Spain's Marta Dominguez to second in 15:06.59 and Ethiopia's Ayelech Worku in third in 15:10. 17.

China's Dong Yanmei, who led the first 3,000m and 4,000m, finished in fourth in 15:10.73, and Gabriela Szabo of Romania, who won the 1,500m earlier and threatened to boycott the event should Yegerova was allowed to compete, ranked in a distant eighth position in 15:19.55.

"All controversy I have had in recent days did not affect me that much. I got to know about the problem so late I was already preparing myself to these competitions," said Yegorova, "When I first heard from Paris problems that I thought it must be a mistake, which it turned out to be. I know sport is sport and I too have to follow the rules in it."

"Now I am at the top and very satisfied," she said, "I don't want to be against anybody, I wish my competitors all the best. I want to keep on running and look for the future, not to think what has happened in the past."

Silver medalist Dominguez said that "it was a great final. For the last part the rhythm was not very good for me, there were a lot of changes in it, but I knew I had a good final the last dozen or so paces. I congratulate Yegorova, it is a clear proof of her ability."

Szabo left the track immediately, saying that "Yegorova is not the champion here. I will have to take some time off to reconsider everything, but Yegorova is not the champion in my mind. "