By Gene Cherry

BEIJING (Reuters) – The spark is back for Ethiopian Olympic 5,000 meters champion Meseret Defar — and just in time.

After a surprise defeat in the African championships, the 24-year-old Olympic and world gold medalist has rallied to go into the Beijing Games as favorite.

There is even a possibility she might race for the gold against compatriot and rival Tirunesh Dibaba, who snatched Defar’s 5,000 meters world record in June.

“Those who thought I had disappeared should watch my performance in Stockholm,” Defar told the IAAF’s website ( www.iaaf.org ).

A lifetime best of 14:12.88 in the grand prix meeting left Defar agonizingly close to Dibaba’s world record of 14:11.15.

“When I finished the race and saw the time, I was so disappointed,” Defar said. “I was very depressed and cried at the moment. It is very painful to miss a world record by just one second.”

Only later did she realize the importance of the run.

“Thinking back, I am happy with improving my personal best and using the race to get ready for Beijing,” she said.

SURPRISE LOSS

The year had started well with a world indoor two-mile record in Boston and a third 3,000 meters title at the world indoor championships.

Then came her first 5,000 meters loss in almost two years when compatriot Meselech Melkamu outran Defar to win the African Championships in Addis Ababa in May.

“I was not feeling well in the week before the race and had not been training as well as I had hoped,” Defar said. “But the African Championships were very important for me because it is the first ever major championship on Ethiopian soil. I had to run in front of my people.”

Another bad race followed in Eugene, Oregon before the superb run in Stockholm.

“I am happy to go the Olympics in good form.” Defar said. “It is as difficult to win it for the second time,” she added.

“I want to win everything that is on offer and break every record there is to break.”

(Editing by Ed Osmond)