On a night of defending champions making unlikely comebacks for gold, Ethiopia’s Tirunesh Dibaba added another 10,000-metreOlympic title and further established herself as the greatest female long-distance runner in history.

After missing a year to injury, Dibaba produced a devastating kick with 600 meters to go to leave her Kenyan rivals in her wake and give Ethiopia an early edge in the great African distance running rivalry.

And with such a kick and poise, the 26-year-old Dibaba showed she is more than capable of repeating as double Olympic long-distance champion with the 5,000 coming up next yesterday.