World Championships recap: Gold medalist Mare Dibaba (Eth) vaults atop Series IX Leaderboard

In the closest World Championships Women's Marathon in history, Mare Dibaba today earned Ethiopia its first world championships marathon title with a time of 2:27:35. Her narrow, one-second victory over Kenya's Helah Kiprop now vaults her to the top of the Abbott World Marathon Majors Series IX Women's Leaderboard.

It went down to the wire in Beijing as four women battled in the final 100 meters toward the finish line in the Bird's Nest stadium.

At the last moment and in front of a roaring crowd delighted at a thrilling marathon finish, Dibaba ultimately decisively sprinted away from Kiprop, who earned silver with a time of 2:27:36. Kiprop is now in the second position on the AWMM Series IX leaderboard.

Close behind was Bahrain's Eunice Kirwa, who took bronze with 2:27:39, and Kenya's Jemima Sumgong who finished at 4th with 2:27:42.

Two-time defending world champion Edna Kiplagat, of Kenya, came in 5th at 2:28:15; and Ethiopia's Tigist Tufa, the 2015 Virgin Money London Marathon winner, came in 6th at 2:29:12.

Focus now in the global marathoning world turns to the BMW BERLIN MARATHON. The Sept. 27, 2015 race marks the beginning of an exciting fall season for the Abbott World Marathon Majors.