The Hindu : Sport / Athletics : Lel wins title

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Monday, Apr 14, 2008
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Lel wins title

LONDON: Martin Lel’s dynamic sprint finish saw the Kenyan win his third London Marathon title in four years here on Sunday in a new course record time of 2 hours 5 minutes and 15 seconds.

Lel, who at one stage had threatened Haile Gebrselassie’s world record before slowing as rain lashed the course, found a fresh burst of speed in the final 400 metres as he broke away from 21-year-old compatriot Sammy Wanjiru, who came home in a time of 2:05:24.

Morocco’s Abderrahim Goumri, last year’s runner-up, was third in 2:05:30.

All three men broke Khalid Khannouchi’s previous London course record of 2:05:38, which was also a world record when the American won in 2002.

Ethiopia distance great Gebrselassie set his world record time of 2:04:26 in Berlin in September.

In the women’s race Irina Mikitenko was the surprise winner. Mikitenko, born in Kazakhstan, but now representing Germany, went clear in front two miles from the finish and won in a time of 2:24:14.

Russia’s Svetlana Zakharova, who had been keeping pace with Mikitenko, could not respond to her rival’s burst and she finished second in 2:24:39.

Gete Wami, the pre-race favourite, was third in 2:25:37. But that the Ethiopian finished at all was impressive after she fell heavily at a drink station around the 18-mile mark.

The race marked the 100th anniversary of the modern marathon distance. The 26 miles, 365 yards (42.2 km) was first run at the 1908 London Olympics, from Windsor Castle to White City.

The results:

Men: 1. Martin Lel (Ken) 2hr, 5min 15sec; 2. Sammy Wanjiru (Ken) 2:05:24; 3: Abderrahim Goumri (Mar) 2:05:30;

Women: 1. Irina Mikitenko (Ger) 2:24:14; 2. Svetlana Zakharova (Rus) 2:24:39; 3. Gete Wami (Eth) 2:25:37. — Agencies

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