Dibaba sets new world record of women's 1,500m in Monaco

Two-time world indoor champion Genzebe Dibaba came out the clear winner of women's 1,500 meters here Friday evening at the Monaco Diamond League meeting with a new world record time.

The middle-distance runner of Ethiopia clocked three minutes and 50.07 seconds to improve her own world-leading result of this year by more than four seconds.

"Pacemaker did finally a great job," said Dibaba after the race. "I'm the first from Ethiopia getting 1500m world record. That's amazing."

She mentioned her elder sister Tirunesh Dibaba, three-time Olympic champion and the reigning 10,000m world champion who has to skip the 2015 season due to pregnancy.

"I think Tirunesh will be happy, all Ethiopia will be happy," said Genzebe Dibaba, the Laureus' Sportswoman of the Year set world indoor records for 1500m and 3000m in 2014.

"I knew from the beginning that I could break the record and I'm still able to improve, maybe under 3:50," added Dibaba, who predicted her breaking of a world record at a pre-race press conference on Thursday.

The Ethiopian, undefeated so far this year, came close to the 5000m mark in Paris, and used the Monaco meeting a check point before deciding on whether to compete both 1500m and 5000m, which she said to be her focus and must-go.

"One thing is clear I will double at World Championships. And let's try for 5000m world record after Beijing," she said. Enditem