The 23-year-old Defar finished in 15 minutes, 2.72, more than 46 seconds slower than the world record of 14:16.63 that she set in Oslo, Norway, last month.

Fellow Ethiopian Meselech Melkamu, who set the pace with Defar for most of the race, claimed silver in 15:03.86. Silvia Kibet of Kenya was third.

"It was not difficult today, because I was not alone on the run. The other Ethiopian girl helped me,” Defar said, paying tribute to Melkamu.

But she said she was disappointed that Ethiopia did not win the bronze. Ethiopian Workitu Ayamo finishing sixth.

Defar said she looked over her shoulder for Ayamo with a couple of laps to go.

"I expected 1-2-3 but she didn’t come,” Defar said.

In the men’s 3,000 steeplechase Kenya’s Willy Komen upset Olympic champion Ezekiel Kemboi, winning in 8:15.11. Kemboi was second in 8:16.93.

In other athletics finals, Omar Ahmed Elgazaly of Egypt won the men’s discus with a throw of 62.28 meters (204 feet-4 inches). Another Egyptian, Yasser Fathy Ebrahim, was next 61.58 (202-0) and South Africa’s Hannes Hopley third with 57.79 (189-7). The women’s triple jump title went to Sudan’s Yamile Aldama with a leap of 14.46 (47-5 1/4). Nigerian Chindye Ohadugha won silver with 14.21(46-7 1/2), and Otonye Iworima, also of Nigeria, claimed bronze with a jump of 13.83 (45-4 1/2). In swimming, Olympic champion Kirsty Coventry of Zimbabwe won two gold medals, giving her seven in six days.

Coventry won the women’s 50-meter freestyle in 26.19 and followed with victory in the 200 medley, setting a games record of 2:13.02.

The Zimbabwean also took silver as part of her country’s women’s 400 freestyle relay team, which South Africa won in 4:10.90.

South Africa won three other golds. Melissa Corfe won the 400 freestyle in a games record 4:15.53, Gerhard Zandberg won the 100 backstroke in 56.53, and Troyden Prinsloo set another games record in the 1,500 freestyle with a time of 15:24.93. Also on the last day of swimming, Kenya’s Jason Dunford won the 200 butterfly in a games record 2:02.82, and Algeria’s Salim Iles won the men’s 50 freestyle in 22.34, also a games record. In women’s football, Vera Okolo scored a pair of goals two minutes apart in the first half and Nigeria beat Algeria 5-0 to reach the final. Nigeria will play South Africa, who beat Ghana 2-0 in the other semifinal.

In tennis, Algeria completed a sweep all six golds with victories in both the men’s and women’s team events.

The victories increased Algeria’s medal total atop the table with 48 gold and 122 overall. South Africa were second with 38 gold and 100 overall.