Jo Pavey finished third in the Hydro Active Women's Challenge five kilometres road race in London which was won by Olympic and world 5,000 metres champion Meseret Defar.

Defar, less than 48 hours after lowering her world two miles track best at the Brussels Golden League meeting, claimed an untroubled victory in 15 minutes eight seconds.

The 23-year-old Ethiopian was too powerful for Benita Johnson and Pavey who was carrying British hopes in the annual event where Paula Radcliffe set her then world best of 14mins 51secs in 2003.

Defar, who has since lowered that figure to 14:46, finished eight seconds ahead of Australia's former world cross country champion Johnson, who fought a close battle with Pavey.

Johnson, preparing for next month's Chicago Marathon won by just one second in 15:28 after the pair fought their private duel.

Pavey's display in Hyde Park augurs well for the BUPA Great North Run in a fortnight's time where she will meet Radcliffe who is running her first race for 21 months over the half-marathon distance.

The Commonwealth 5000m silver medallist will also represent the Norwich Union GB team at the IAAF World Road Running Championships in Udine on October 14.

Sporting Life / Eurosport