Dibaba races to new indoor 5,000m record

BOSTON, Jan 28 (Reuters) Ethiopia's Tirunesh Dibaba has set a new world indoor record for the women's 5,000 metres, clocking 14 minutes, 27.42 seconds at the Boston Indoor Games today.

Dibaba started the race cagily by hanging back in third position through the first few laps, but she then began to assert her domination and lapped several other runners before powering to the finish.

The 21-year-old's new mark improved on her previous world's best time of 14 minutes, 32.93 seconds, set in Boston two years ago.

''I did not think that I'd break it by this much,'' she told reporters at the Reggie Lewis Track and Athletic Center.

Diaba said she knew she the record was within reach at the start of the penultimate lap, by which point she was well clear of her competitors and being spurred on by a cheering contingent of flag-waving Ethiopian fans.

Asked what allowed her to set the new mark, she said: ''I believe it was God-given talent.'' REUTERS DH RN0643