Olimpiada Ivanova of Russia broke the women's 20 kilometres walk world record when she won the world title over the distance here on Sunday and walked away 160,000 dollars richer.

The 34-year-old timed 1hr 25min 41sec -- breaking the world record in the process -- coming home clear of Ryta Turava of Belarus (1hr 27min 05sec) while Susana Fetor of Portugal took bronze in a time of 1hr 28min 44sec.

Ivanova's time of 1hr 25min

41sec broke the old mark of 1hr 26min 22sec jointly held by Yan Wang of China, who set it in November 2001, and Yelena Nikolayeva of Russia, who equalled it in May 2003.

Another woman also set the track alight as women's Olympic 400m champion Tonique Williams-Darling of the Bahamas looked most impressive in her first round heat, though she faces a real challenge from world champion Ana Guevara and leading American Sanya Richards.

The early session was all women as the epic heptathlon duel between Olympic and reigning champion Carolina Kluft and France's 2001 champion Eunice Barber was set to go down to the wire as the Swede led her Sierra Leone-born rival by just 18 points with Sunday evening's 800m to come.

The men had a look in as the bitter rivalry between Qatar's former Kenyan Saif Saaeed Shaheen and his ex-compatriots continued apace in the 3,000m steeplechase.

Ivanova, the 2001 world champion and 2004 Olympic silver medallist, earned a 100,000 dollars bonus for her record-breaking efforts and another 60,000 dollars for winning the title.

The Russian's path to glory was eased when Chinese number one Jing Jiang -- who owned the second best time this season going into the championships -- was disqualified after receiving three warnings.

There were tears too for Greek walker and Olympic champion Athanasia Tsoumeleka, who was in fourth position and challenging for a medal with the stadium in sight when she was called for a third time.

For Ivanova it represents redemption after she received a two year doping ban in 1997 after winning silver in the 10,000m walk at the world championships -- she used her time well to become a black belt in the martial arts.

Williams-Darling looked untroubled as she cantered home in her heat in a comfortable time of 51.04sec with Russia's Olesya Zykina and Shericka Williams of Jamaica filling the two other automatic qualifying placings.

Williams-Darling, whose dramatic improvement last year saw her climax with the Olympic title

leaving a devastated Guevara trailing in second, said that she was not already looking towards the final.

Guevara looked sharp as she came home first in her heat in a time of 51.15sec, the 28-year-old bronze medallist at the 2001 world championships looking fresher than she did last year at the Olympics having taken on a lighter schedule this term.

Shaheen struck the first blow against his former country by ambling home ahead of Ezekiel Kemboi, who took silver behind the Qatari in 2003, and set the fastest time in the first round.