Mozambique's Maria Mutola powered to her third world 800 metres title on Tuesday and then said silver medallist Kelly Holmes "deserved" to win gold.

Mutola, the dominant force at the two-lap discipline for a decade, showed she was still at the peak of her powers by holding off her friend and training partner in a slow-run race.

Briton Holmes made a brave bid for glory, kicking for home on the final bend before being overhauled by the Olympic champion down the straight.

"Kelly is my training partner and she has had a lot of trouble with injury this year...her spirit was very low and she was struggling for motivation," Mutola said.

"It was my job to motivate her and it is great to see her win the silver. She deserved to win.

"She had more courage to keep coming and to take the lead was good. These are the world championships and everybody wants to win. I had to dig down deep to be able to (win).

The pair have trained together under coach Margot Jennings at Mutola's home base in Johannesburg, South Africa since last year.

An emotional Holmes, twice Commonwealth champion at 1500 metres, told a news conference she had not wanted to take part in the championships after struggling this season with a recurrence of a calf injury.

"It was one too many years for me, emotionally and physically," said the 33-year-old Englishwoman.

"I did not want to come here and let myself down. But luck has come my way."

Mutola was on of the hottest favourites to win gold in Paris, even before injuries forced the withdrawal of her two main rivals Stephanie Graf, just before the final, and Jolanda Ceplak, who pulled out before the start of the competition.

Austrian Graf, world silver medallist behind Mutola in Edmonton two years ago in a thrilling final, was reported to have sustained cuts after a bottle of mineral water fell on her foot in her bathroom earlier on Tuesday.

However, Mutola is looking forward to racing against Graf again next year.

"I'm sorry for Stephanie Graf. I was looking forward to racing her and I know she was looking forward to the competition." said Mutola. "I will see her next year."

Before then Mutola has the chance to pocket $1 million in Brussels next month by becoming the only athlete to win each of her six Golden League races.

Looking further ahead, the 30-year-old would not be drawn on whether she will go for a fourth world gold in Helsinki in 2005.

"I'm happy to take it year by year. I'm going to run at next year's Olympics and I will take it from there," she said.

Mutola started her career as a soccer player before being spotted at the age of 14 by renowned Mozambican poet and part-time athletics coach Jose Craverinha while she was playing soccer in the streets of Mozambique's capital Maputo.

Born the youngest of six children in the Maputo shanty town of Chamanculo, Mutola still maintains strong links with her homeland having set up her own sports foundation in one of the world's poorest countries.

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