Turkey's Elvan Abeylegesse after winning the women's 10000m gold on Wednesday.

The manager of newly-minted European 10000m champion Elvan Abeylegesse revealed how she “came close to dying” just three days before her gold medal winning success when her taxi became stranded in a torrential downpour.

Abeylegesse was travelling to a catch a place to Istanbul from her high altitude training base in the Eastern Turkish province of Erurzum, when the cab became stuck because of stones carried by the floods.

A torrent of water then cascaded down the valley and started rising in the car before she was rescued by nearby construction workers.

“She came close to dying and now Elvan has won the gold medal,” said Salih Munir Yaras, manager of the Turkish distance runner.

He added of the incident: “She was terrified. “The taxi driver opened the window and she was taken to safety on to a construction machine. Elvan said “God protected me.”

Thankfully, her passport was not damaged in the incident and the Enka Sport Club, of whom she is a member, laid on a charter plane for her to fly into Istanbul.

Abeylegesse also plans to compete in Sunday’s 5000m final.