Britton feeling the pain

A devastated Fionnuala Britton finished 15th in the 10,000m final last night as Ethiopia’s Tirunesh Dibaba became the first woman to successfully defend the title.

European cross-country champion Britton, who limped home a minute behind the winner (31:46.71), struggled to explain her performance.

She said: “I’m disappointed. It is embarrassing on a very big stage like that to be lapped. There isn’t much I can say. I started the way I meant to go on and then around four and five kilometres I just didn’t have it. It is a chance you get only every four years and you can’t afford to mess it up like I did tonight. I hope to be back for the 5k on Tuesday and a chance to make things right.”

Dibaba led home the field with a devastating finish in 30:20.75 from Kenya’s Sally Kipyego (30:26.75) and world champion Vivian Jepkemoi Cheruiyot (30:30.44).