Bekele finished the 7.5-mile race in 34 minutes, 36 seconds. Leonard Patrick Komon of Kenya was second in 34:41, followed by last year's champion, Zersenay Tadese of Eritrea, in 34:43.

The 25-year-old Bekele surpassed the mark of five titles he shared with Kenyans John Ngugi and Paul Tergat.

Bekele was leading in muddy conditions when his left shoe came off about 7 minutes into the race. He fell about 25 yards behind the leaders, allowing Tadese to pull ahead, but was able to put his shoe back on and get back into the race.

"I was expecting not to win after losing my shoe," Bekele said. "But it's not so tough to get back in the race. If it had been in the last two laps it would have been harder, because I would have been more tired."

Dibaba won her third world cross-country title. She finished the 5-mile women's course in 25:10. Mestawet Tufa of Ethiopia was second in 25:15, followed by Linet Chepkwemoi Masai of Kenya in 25:18.