Berlin  - Yusuf Saad Kamel of Bahrain won the 1,500m world title on Wednesday night in the doping related absence of compatriot Olympic champion Rashid Ramzi.

The Kenya-born Kamel outlasted world indor champion Deresse Mekonnen on the home stretch, crossing the line in 3 minutes 35.93 seconds.

Mekkonen had 3:36.01 and defending champion Bernard Lagat, a Kenya-born American, came third in 3:36.20. Lagat completed his set of 1,500m medals as he won a silver in 2001, then running for Kenya.

Kenya came up empty-handed with Olympic silver medallist Aspel Kiprop placing fourth like in 2007 and season leader Augustine Choge fading to fifth after the leading until the bell.

Ramzi won the Olympic gold last year, but is suspended after being caught using the latest generation of the blood booster EPO in retests of Olympic samples. (dpa)