South African Mbulaeni Mulaudzi produced a stunning sprinter's dip at the line to win the world men's 800m title in a photo-finish in Berlin on Sunday.

Mulaudzi led from start to finish in the race, clocking 1min 45.29, with defending champion and Olympic bronze medallist Alfred Yego of Kenya claiming silver and newly-crowned world 1500m champion Yusuf Saad Kamel of Bahrain getting bronze.

The result meant the Kenyan-born Kamel failed to repeat his father Billy Konchellah's feat of winning the world 800m crown.

"The race was very good. I was in control of it," said Mulaudzi. "In the last 100 metres, I said to myself 'I am just going to pump my arms and give it everything'.

"Now I have to look after my body and stay in shape," said the South African who hails from the same Limpopo region as women's 800m champion Caster Semenya.

Yego said nerves had almost got the better of him in a packed, sun-drenched Olympic Stadium.

"I know the race is determined in the final 200 metres but I was a little blocked with 300m to go," he said.

"I had to kick from behind and I was a bit late. But Mulaudzi deserves his title because he ran from the front all the race."

Kamel was not bitter about having missed out on emulating his father, blaming a gruelling series of heats, semifinals and finals as the reason behind his third place.

"I am very happy to have won a medal because it's hard to run six top races in less than two weeks," he said, adding: "The pace of the race was okay, it was not too fast.

"I think the 1500m race was much more difficult. It's very important that I got two medals at these championships because I think I surprised many people. I hope that now people will not forget me.

Mulaudzi went straight into the lead after the runners came together after the first bend, and the pack stayed tight through the first lap.

Jostling for position started early as the pace accelerated when the runners heard the bell for the final lap, American Nick Symmonds in second with Moroccan Amine Laalou in third behind Mulaudzi.

Hitting the 600-metre mark at 1:19, the pack spread out as they hit the home stretch, Mulaudzi desperately fighting to retain his lead from the inside lane.

Kamel hit his stride two lanes further out and at first glance looked to have the beating of the South African, whose compatriot Semenya won the women's 800m.

But after the draining series of heats for both the 800 and 1500m, Kamel didn't quite have the legs to produce a decisive kick to the front.

The top four finishers dipped savagely for the line, more in the style of top-class sprinters than two-lap specialists.

Russia's former Olympic champion Yuriy Borzakovsky finished in fourth at 1:45.57, with Laalou in fifth and Symmonds in sixth.