By Ian Gordon, PA Sport, Edmonton

Kelly Holmes' hopes of giving Britain a final day medal lift ended in disappointment at the World Championships in Edmonton.

The 31-year-old was unable to repeat her remarkable Olympic display in the 800 metres as she finished sixth in the Commonwealth Stadium.

Mozambique's Olympic champion Maria Mutola regained her world title after snatching victory in the final metres from Austria's Stephanie Graf with Letitia Vriesde of Surinam winning bronze.

Britain were desperately hoping that Holmes, who suffered from a form of glandular fever and chronic fatigue syndrome this year and had her training strictly regimented, could match her Sydney heroics when she defied injury to take bronze.

But it was not to be this time for the former army sergeant who, though fourth on the final lap was never in a position to challenge and eventually faded to sixth in one minute 59.76 seconds.

Mutola regained the title she won in Stuttgart eight years ago with a stunning burst of speed in the final 60m.

The 28-year-old was lying third but overhauled Vriesde, who had led for the first 700m before just catching great rival Graf on the line.

Mutola won by just 0.03secs in 1:57.17 with 36-year-old Vriesde clocking 1:57.30.

Holmes said her lack of training this season had cost her in the end.

"I was in the right place at the right time (200m to go) but I just didn't have anything left. There's nothing else I could have done in that race.

"I knew my endurance was going to be a factor. I was trying to take every race as it comes and managed to get through the rounds.

"I still want to hold my head up. I've had a worse season than last year with health problems. I didn't even think I'd be here.

"My 100 per cent wasn't goo enough to get a medal. People's expect miracles to happen. There were good girls out there today. It was a fantastic race and the best girl won on the day."

Champion Mutola said she was always confident of pipping Graf to the line.

"I just believed in myself and kept pushing nad pushing. I was thinking 'I'm going, I'm getting close'.

"I can say this feels special. I came last year to the Olympics, then won the World Indoor Championships. To have three important titles together is incredible."