Melkamu dips under 30 minutes in Utrecht

Ethiopian Meselech Melkamu has become only the fourth woman in history to break the 30-minute barrier for 10,000m, clocking 29:53.80 - second fastest of all-time mark - at the Vechtse Banen in Utrecht, the Netherlands on Sunday.

Melkamu, 24, broke Tirunesh Dibaba's African and national record of 29:54.66 achieved at the 2008 Beijing Olympics in China.

She ran at World Record-pace at 4k, then slowed a bit to finish in well clear of Kiplagat.

Kenya's Florence Kiplagat finished second in a new Kenyan record of 30:11.53 with Ethiopia's Wude Ayalew coming in third in 30:11.87 to become the tenth fastest all-time woman.

The women's 10,000m world-record remains at 29:31.78 by China's Wang Junxia set in Beijing in 1993.

FULL RESULTS

1. Meselech Melkamu ETHIOPIA 29:53,80
2. Florence Kiplagat KENYA 30:11,53
3. Wude Ayalew ETHIOPIA 30:11,87
4. Sylvia Kibet KENYA 30:47,20
5. Aberu Kebede ETHIOPIA 30:48,26
6. Hilda Kibet NETHERLANDS 30:51,92
7. Mamitu Daska ETHIOPIA 31:36,88
8. Gladys Kwambai KENYA 32:47,34
9. Ilse Pol NETHERLANDS 32:47,77
10. Abebech Afework Bekele ETHIOPIA 32:52,67
11. Lara Tamsett AUSTRALIA 32:54,93