OSAKA — It's better to have a strong finish than a strong start, a wise man once said. This was true Saturday night in the final of the women's 5,000-meter race at the 2007 IAAF World Athletics Championships.
Meseret Defar's time over the final 1,000 meters — 2 minutes, 44.86 seconds — was quicker than any of the leaders' times after each of the previous 4 km.
The Ethiopian won the race in 14:57.91. She set the world record of 14:16.63 in Oslo on June 15.