Radcliffe, Raamala win New York City Marathon
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2004-11-08 09:36

Britain's world record holder Paula Radcliffe won the women's New York marathon in two hours 23 minutes 10 seconds on Sunday in the race's closest finish and redeem herself after dropping out of the Olympic race in Athens.

Britain's world record holder Paula Radcliffe crosses the finish line to win the women's division of the 35th New York City Marathon in New York's Central Park, November 7, 2004. Radcliffe won the women's New York marathon on Sunday in an unofficial two hours 23 minutes seven seconds. [Reuters]

Kenyan Susan Chepkemei was second in 2:23:14 after running alongside Radcliffe during the final 10 km of the 42.195 kilometers race. They were followed by Russia's Lyubov Denisova in 2:25:18 and defending champion Margaret Okayo of Kenya in 2:26:31.

In Athens, 30-year-old Radcliffe had a leg injury that forced her to take anti-inflammatory drugs. The medicine, combined with stress and worry, was too much for her stomach to handle. Then she stopped to sit on a curb five kilometers from the end, sobbinguncontrollably.

She tried running the 10,000 meters a few days later but could not finish, either, for one of the most disappointing turns in hercareer.

She got back to training after letting her injury heal and decided just two weeks ago to run in New York, hoping to get back to the form that earned her a world best last year in London.

And she did just that, becoming the first British woman to win the race through New York's five boroughs since Liz McColgan in 1991 and the first non-Kenyan women's champion since 2000 in New York.

Radcliffe ran shoulder-to-shoulder with Chepkemei until her final surge, winning by four seconds. The margin of victory ecliped the previous closest finish in New York history when WandaPanfil of Kenya crossed the finish line five seconds ahead of the second finisher in 1990.

Olympic bronze medalist Deena Kastor of the United States dropped out of the lead pack around the 13km mark Sunday and then fell at the bottom of the Queensborough Bridge around the 26km spot. She was not seriously injured but had to pull out of the race.

Hendrick Ramaala from South Africa (front) leads Timothy Cherigat of kenya (C) and Meb Keflezighi (back) from the United States down 5th Avenue in Manhattan near the 20 mile mark on his way to winning the men's division of the 35th New York City Marathon in New York's Central Park, November 7, 2004. [Reuters]

In the men's race, South African Hendrick Raamala won in 2:09:28 for his first marathon victory. And he, like Radcliffe, got a bit of redemption after pulling out of the Olympic marathon with agroin injury.

Olympic silver medalist Meb Keflezighi of the United States wassecond, 25 seconds behind, with Timothy Cherigat of Kenya third in2:10:00.

Kenya's Michael Rotich, fifth in the 2003 race, dropped out of the men's race early and was taken to hospital.

Mexico's Saul Mendoza won the men's wheelchair race, and Edith Hunkeler of Switzerland took the women's race in a course-record 1:53:27. Todd Philpott of Australia won the men's handcycle race in1:17:12, while Angelique Simons of the Netherlands won the women'sdivision at 1:50:02.

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