(AFP) Olympic champion Meseret Defar finished more than ten seconds ahead of her nearest rival to run the world’s fastest 3000 metres time in Stuttgart.

The Ethiopian 5,000 metres Olympic gold medalist blitzed the field with a world best time of 8 minutes 27.93 seconds, having set the world’s fastest time of 8 mins 23.72 seconds over the same distance at the same venue the year before.

It was a strong message to send to her rivals as she beat compatriot Ejegayehu Dibaba and Kenya’s Sylvia Jebiwott Kibet ahead of next month’s World Indoor Championships in Valencia and the Beijing Olympics in August.

In the men’s 1500 metres, Ethiopian Deresse Mekkonen also ran the fastest indoor time in the world this year with a winning time of 3 mins 38 seconds, beating compatriot Mekkonen Gebremehdin and German Stephan Eberhardt.

British teenager Craig Pickering was the fastest in the men’s 60 metres sprint as the World relay bronze medalist held off a strong field to win in 6.58 seconds.

European hurdles champion Swedish sprinter Suzanna Kallur warmed up for her assault on Valencia next month with a world leading time of 7.72 seconds.

The 26-year-old, who won gold at the 2006 European Championships, blitzed the field and also set a new meeting record in Stuttgart.