Athletics: Smith 3rd in London

New Zealand's world ranked runner Kimberley Smith finished third in the 5000m at the Grand Prix meeting at Crystal Palace in London last night.

Smith ran 14min 52.49sec, just six and a half seconds outside her New Zealand national record set in Rome a year ago.

The race was won by Beijing Olympic Games 5000m and 10,000m gold medallist Tirunesh Dibaba of Ethiopia in 14min 33.65sec. Sentayehu Ejigu of Ethiopia was second in 14min 40.00sec.

Dibaba back from injury and having her first race since May set a Crystal Palace stadium record.

The result confirms Smith's position as the world's leading non-African female distance runner and this time ranks her 15th in the world this year with seven Ethiopians and seven Kenyans ahead of her, Athletics New Zealand said today.

Smith won the Bupa 10km road race in London in May in 31min 38sec.

The 27-year-old has been entered in the 5000m and 10,000m at the world championships in athletics in Berlin next month.

- NZPA