Radfcliffe triumphs at NYC marathon

NEW YORK – British world record holder Paula Radcliffe made a triumphant marathon return on Sunday, winning the New York City Marathon 10 months after the birth of her daughter Radcliffe, 33, won in 2hr 23min 9sec, beating Ethiopian Gete Wami (2:23:32) to complete a wire-to-wire victory.

Radcliffe added another New York title to the one she captured in 2004. Latvian Jelena Prokopcuka, the winner in New York the past two years, finished third in 2:26:13.Radcliffe owns four of the five fastest marathons in history, including the world record of 2:15:25.But she hadn’t run a marathon since claiming the world championship gold at Helsinki in 2005.”I love this and I really enjoyed being back and racing marathons and winning marathons,” Radcliffe said.”It felt like old times, especially with Gete, like it was back in 1992 or something.Reigning world champion Catherine Ndereba of Kenya, finished fifth (2:29:08) behind Russian Lidiya Grigoryeva (2:28:37).Radcliffe and Wami separated themselves from the field early, but it was the 33-year-old Briton who prevailed by 23 seconds at the finish in Central Park.The men’s race finished in similar style as Kenya’s Martin Lel held off Morocco’s Abderrahim Goumri in the final meters to win in 2:09:04.Lel, the winner in New York in 2003, defeated Goumri by 12 seconds.Another former New York titlist, 2004 winner Hendrick Ramaala of South Africa, was third in 2:11:25.Radcliffe, whose first child, daughter Isla, was born in January, led throughout the women’s race with Wami on her heels.Wami, who has bested Radcliffe numerous times on road, track and cross-country courses, stuck to the world record holder like a limpet.Radcliffe made her move in the 24th mile, more than two hours into the race, pulling away from Wami as the two runners reached an incline along Central Park East.Radcliffe tried to open a gap, but Wami closed it before the Brit was able to pull away slightly again as they approached the final mile.Again Wami closed, and overtook Radcliffe for the first time all day.That lead was brief, however, as Radcliffe fought back and broke free.As she did in her 2004 victory over Susan Chepkemei here, Radcliffe sprinted ahead from the turn and up the final incline to the finish.”I looked back once and she seemed to be a way back,” Radcliffe said.”So then I thought, OK, I’m away, and that lifted me a little bit.”Then the next thing she came past me, so I surged again and I thought I’m not giving up on this.I didn’t know if that was the last-ditch attempt but I wasn’t taking anything for granted until I crossed the line.”Wami, who won the Berlin Marathon on September 24, said she had nothing left at that point to mount another challenge.Nampa-AFPLatvian Jelena Prokopcuka, the winner in New York the past two years, finished third in 2:26:13.Radcliffe owns four of the five fastest marathons in history, including the world record of 2:15:25.But she hadn’t run a marathon since claiming the world championship gold at Helsinki in 2005.”I love this and I really enjoyed being back and racing marathons and winning marathons,” Radcliffe said.”It felt like old times, especially with Gete, like it was back in 1992 or something.Reigning world champion Catherine Ndereba of Kenya, finished fifth (2:29:08) behind Russian Lidiya Grigoryeva (2:28:37).Radcliffe and Wami separated themselves from the field early, but it was the 33-year-old Briton who prevailed by 23 seconds at the finish in Central Park.The men’s race finished in similar style as Kenya’s Martin Lel held off Morocco’s Abderrahim Goumri in the final meters to win in 2:09:04.Lel, the winner in New York in 2003, defeated Goumri by 12 seconds.Another former New York titlist, 2004 winner Hendrick Ramaala of South Africa, was third in 2:11:25.Radcliffe, whose first child, daughter Isla, was born in January, led throughout the women’s race with Wami on her heels.Wami, who has bested Radcliffe numerous times on road, track and cross-country courses, stuck to the world record holder like a limpet.Radcliffe made her move in the 24th mile, more than two hours into the race, pulling away from Wami as the two runners reached an incline along Central Park East.Radcliffe tried to open a gap, but Wami closed it before the Brit was able to pull away slightly again as they approached the final mile.Again Wami closed, and overtook Radcliffe for the first time all day.That lead was brief, however, as Radcliffe fought back and broke free.As she did in her 2004 victory over Susan Chepkemei here, Radcliffe sprinted ahead from the turn and up the final incline to the finish.”I looked back once and she seemed to be a way back,” Radcliffe said.”So then I thought, OK, I’m away, and that lifted me a little bit.”Then the next thing she came past me, so I surged again and I thought I’m not giving up on this.I didn’t know if that was the last-ditch attempt but I wasn’t taking anything for granted until I crossed the line.”Wami, who won the Berlin Marathon on September 24, said she had nothing left at that point to mount another challenge.Nampa-AFP