Sport - Athletics

Radcliffe, Lel win London Marathon

My body was strong to go with my mind. It was totally different.

LONDON: Paula Radcliffe overcame cramps to set a women's-only record for the London Marathon on Sunday, winning by more than five minutes, while Kenya's Martin Lel ran a personal best to win a closely contested men's race.

Radcliffe won in 2 hours, 17 minutes, 42 seconds, despite stopping five miles (eight kilometres) from the end to relieve cramps. She earned a bonus of $125,000 for beating her own women's-only best time of 2:18:56 set in 2002.

``I've got to apologise to the nation for having to stop but I was losing 10 seconds every time my stomach cramped up,'' Radcliffe told BBC television. ``I didn't know how far I was ahead but I felt I just had to stop.''

Lel finished in 2:07:26, with Jaouad Gharib of Morocco 23 seconds behind. Hendrick Ramaala of South Africa was third in 2:08:32.

Radcliffe went out strong from the start and led from the seventh mile (12th kilometre) in crisp, sunny conditions.

It was Radcliffe's third London Marathon win. She set the world record of 2:15:25 in 2003 using male pacemakers.

Romanian Constantina Tomescu-Dita finished second, 5 minutes, 8 seconds behind. Kenya's Susan Chepkemei was third in 2:24:00.

Radcliffe pulled out of the marathon and the 10,000 metres at the Athens Olympics, but went on to win the New York City marathon last November.

Radcliffe pulled ahead in the opening mile (1.6 kilometres), with the two female pacemakers. During the fourth mile (sixth kilometre), she was joined by Kenyan runners — Margaret Okayo, last year's champion, and Chepkemei — who Radcliffe beat by four seconds in New York.

Radcliffe kept ahead of the Kenyans as she continued at an impressive pace. She pulled ahead of the pacemakers during the seventh mile (12th kilometre).

She kept on World record pace through to half-way, which she reached in 1:08:27. That was 25 seconds behind Radcliffe's halfway mark when she set her world record.

Just over half-way, Tomescu-Dita pulled ahead into second place, but Radcliffe maintained a two-minute lead.

In the 21st mile (33rd kilometre), Radcliffe stopped for about 15 seconds to relieve cramps. She crouched by a fence before beginning to run again, with little sign of difficulty.

``It was similar (cramps) to Athens but the rest of me felt good so there was no danger of me being defeated again,'' Radcliffe said. ``Today my body was strong to go with my mind. It was totally different. I had no worries about my preparation or my body.''

The men's race was closer.

Lel was part of the leading group throughout the race, pulling away in the final five miles (eight kilometres). Lel won the 2003 New York City Marathon, the same year he became world half marathon champion.

Lel was in a group of half-a-dozen runners who broke away early in the race, also including Evans Rutto, 2004 New York City Marathon champion Ramaala, World record holder Paul Tergat and Sammy Korir.

The results: Men: 1. Martin Lel (Kenya, 2:07:26); 2. Jaouad Gharib (Morocco, 2:07:49); 3. Hendrick Ramaala (South Africa, 2:08:32).

Women: 1. Paula Radcliffe (Britain, 2:17:42); 2. Constantina Tomescu-Dita (Romania, 2:22:50); 3. Susan Chepkemei (Kenya, 2:24:00). — AP

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