| Final | time | | 1. Fernanda Ribeiro |  Portugal | 31:01.63 OR | | 2. Junxia Wang |  China | 31:02.58 | | 3. Gete Wami |  Ethiopia | 31:06.65 | | 4. Derartu Tulu | Ethiopia | 31:10.46 | | 5. Masako Chiba |  Japan | 31:20.62 | | 6. Tecla Loroupe |  Kenya | 31:23.22 | | 7. Yuko Kawakami | Japan | 31:23.23 | | 8. lulia Negura |  Romania | 31:26.46 | | 9. Julia Vaquero |  Spain | 31:27.07 | | 10.Sally Barsosio | Kenya | 31:53.38 | | 11.Catherina Mckiernan |  Ireland | 32:00.38 | | 12.Annemari Sandell |  Finland | 32:14.66 | | 13.Colleen de Reuck |  South Africa | 32:14.69 | | 14.Lyudmila Petrova |  Russia | 32:25.89 | | 15.Mingxia Wang | China | 32:38.98 | | 16.Hiromi Suzuki | Japan | 32:43.39 | | 17.Susan Hobson |  Australia | 32:47.71 | | 18.Birhane Adere | Ethiopia | 32:57.35 | | 19.Siju Yang | China | 33:15.29 | | -. Maria Guida |  Italy | DNS |
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| | Venue: Centennial Olympic Stadium, Atlanta. Capp.: 85,000. | | 35 competitors from 19 nations. Heats. |
After a cautious first heat won by Wami in 32:20.92, Tulu took the
other race with the fastest heat time ever of 31:35.90. Catherina
McKiernan (IRL) led for the first three kilometres of the final, reached
in 9:17.21. World Champion Ribeiro had taken over by 5000m, leading
a pack of 10 through in 15:35.85, almost precisely the same time as in
the 1992 final.
Barsosio and Julia Vaquero (ESP) were the leaders at the next three
kilometre points, but Ribeiro was back in front at 9000m with only
Wang and the two Ethiopians in tow. With 500m to go Wang, the ’93
World Champion and world record holder, made her move, with only
Ribeiro able to stay in touch. As the two entered the homestraight,
Ribeiro saw a gap on the inside, through which she darted, and won by
6m. Ribeiro won plaudits for her fighting spirit and beating the seemingly
invincible Wang, while the Chinese finished as the most successful
distance runner – male or female – in Atlanta.
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USA
NZL
GER
FRA
SUI
BDI
