Ethiopian Dibaba out of world 5000m

BERLIN (AFP) - Reigning Olympic 5000m champion Tirunesh Dibaba has pulled out of the 5000m at the World Athletics Championships here because of injury.

Dibaba, a two-time world champion over the 5000m (2003 and 2005) who is also the Olympic 10,000m champion, pulled out of the longer race last weekend.

Dibaba, also the current world record holder over 5000m, spent much of early 2009 injured and registered only two 5000m performances, setting a world best time to qualify for these worlds and then losing to Kenyan Linet Masai in New York.

The Ethiopian nicknamed the "Baby Faced Destroyer" missed the Bislett Games in Oslo in June because of a nagging ankle injury.

Her absence will make a severe dent in Ethiopia's medal hopes.

Ethiopia, one of the poorest countries in the world, finished fourth in the medals table at the last worlds in Osaka in 2007 with a haul of four medals, three gold and one silver, behind leaders the United States, Kenya and Russia.