ATHLETICS: London MarathonZhou Chunxiu claimed a first victory for China in the women's race and Martin Lel ensured Kenya's men maintained their dominance at the London Marathon yesterday.
Asian Games champion Zhou came to London to gain experience in an event she only began training for in 2002 and promptly gave warning to her better-known rivals that she would be one to watch at the world championships in August and next year's Beijing Olympics.
She made the decisive break at 37km, pulling away from Dutch world cross-country champion Lornah Kiplagat and Gete Wami to win in two hours 20 minutes 38 seconds, the fastest time in the world this year.
Ethiopian Wami, who failed to finish her only other London attempt in 2004, took second in 2:21.45. Romania's Constantina Tomescu-Dita produced a strong finish for third while Kenyan-born Kiplagat faded badly to finish fifth.
For the second year in succession, the men's race went to the wire with 2005 champion Martin Lel holding off Morocco's Abderrahim Goumri for victory in 2:07.41.
Former 5,000 metres runner Goumri, making his debut at the distance, finished three seconds behind the Kenyan and last year's winner Felix Limo had to settle for third.
The men's race produced some high-profile casualties with Ethiopian Haile Gebrselassie and Italy's Olympic champion Stefano Baldini failing to finish.It was the fourth successive year that Kenya won the men's race.
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