MONACO, Sept 18: Britain's double Olympic champion Kelly Holmes sprinted to an emphatic victory in the women's 1,500 metres on the opening day of the two-day world athletics final on Saturday.

Holmes, who won the 800 and 1,500 in Athens last month, moved from second to last after the first lap to fourth at the bell. She made her initial move at 200 then out-sprinted Russia's world champion and Olympic silver medallist Tatyana Tomashova in the straight to clock four minutes 4.55 seconds and collect first prize money of $30,000.

Former world record holder Sandra Glover of the U.S., who failed to qualify for the Games, won the first track event of the day when she clocked 54.57 seconds in the women's 400 metres hurdles. Greek Olympic champion Fani Halkia led in the early stages before fading to fourth.

The men's 800 metres was won by Bahrain's Youssef Saad Kamel, one of the growing number of Kenyans who have opted to change their nationality and name for economic reasons.

Kamel, who clocked one minute 45.91 seconds after a sprint finish with Kenya's former world junior champion Joseph Mutua, is the son of twice world 800 champion Billy Konchellah.

Russia's Olympic silver medallist Irina Simagina upset her team mate and Olympic champion Tatyana Lebedeva in the women's long jump, winning by two centimetres with a leap of 6.74 metres.

Final results:

Men