Ivanova won the world title in 2001 and added a second in Helsinki

The 35-year-old set a new world mark of one hour 25 minutes and 41 seconds to finish ahead of Ryta Turova of Belarus and Portugal's Susana Feitor.

World number one China's Jiang Jing and Olympic champion Athanasia Tsoumeleka were both disqualified after receiving third and final warnings.

Ivanova said: "I'm an old walker but each year I savour my victories more."

The Russian led the race from start to finish and by the halfway stage she already held a lead of more than a minute over silver medallist Turova.

Everything went more or less according to plan, the race was pretty easy World champion Olimpiada Ivanova

Tsoumeleka had her sights on a bronze medal when she was disqualified in the final few kilommetres.

Portugal's Feitor then moved her way through the field from sixth spot to complete the podium line-up and win her first world medal.

Ivanova, who won Olympic silver in Athens, was banned from the sport for two years after testing positive for a banned steroid in 1997.

But was keen to consign that to the past as she revelled in her second world title.

"I don't want to think about the ban but I wouldn't survive it a second time," said Ivanova, who picked up a $100,000 bonus for setting a new world record.