Berlin  - Title holder Meseret Defar led the way in the women's 5,000 metres heats at the world championships on Wednesday in the absence of fellow-Ethiopian Olympic champion Tirunesh Dibaba.

Defar clocked 15 minutes 16.46 seconds for a place in Saturday's final, with compatriots Genzebe Dibaba, Sentayehu Ejigu and 10,000m silver medallist Meselech Melcamu also safely through.

The top Ethiopian Tirunesh Dibaba was not competing in the wake of an injury which had already kept her out of the 10,000m. Dibaba got a long distance double at the 2005 worlds and 2008 Olympics.

The Ethiopians will aim to rebound from a 10,000m defeat to rivals Kenya, whose Linet Masai triumphed on Saturday. With Masai not aiming for the double, the Kenyan charge is led by Sylvia Jebiwott Kibet.

Another prominent no show was former world record holder Elvan Abeylegesse of Turkey.

The decathlon got underway as well in the injury-related absence of Olympic champion Bryan Clay of the US and German medal contender Michael Schrader.

Fancied American Trey Hardee led the way after an opening 100m run of 10.45 seconds while Cuban contender Leonel Suarez, the Olympic bronze medallist, has 832 points.

Czech holder Roman Sebrle, not a favourite this time around, has 825 points. The 2007 silver medallist Maurice Smith of Jamaica did not finish and is unlikely to continue.

The decathletes were also to compete in the long jump and shot put in the morning session, with qualifying in women's discus and men's high jump as well as the 110m hurdles heats on the agenda as well.

The women's 200m heats were cancelled due no a lower number of entries than originally expected. (dpa)