Posted: April 17, 2005

Athletics: Lel Returns To Form At London Marathon

From David Monti

(c) 2004 Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved RaceResultsWeekly.com

LONDON (17-Apr) -- Using a powerful burst in the 24th mile, Kenyan Martin Lel broke the Flora London Marathon men's race out of it's doldrums, and notched his second major marathon victory here today. Lel, the 2003 ING New York City Marathon champion, covered the 24th mile in 4:38 on his way to a career best time of 2:07:26.

Left his wake were the two most celebrated pre-race favorites, Paul Tergat and Evans Rutto, both of whom were in the five man lead pack with Lel which had been established by the 17th mile. Joining them was Hendrik Ramaala, last year's champion in New York, and Sammy Korir, the second-fastest marathoner ever and the runner-up at this race last year. Olympic champion Stefano Baldini and the top Briton in the race, Jon Brown, were running together in the next pack.

Inexplicably, Tergat and Rutto faded badly in the latter stages of the race. Tergat would finish in 8th position, some four minutes behind Lel, and Rutto, who has never lost a marathon, finished tenth more than a minute behind Tergat. Korir finished between the two in 9th place.

The 2003 world marathon champion, Jaouad Gharib of Morocco, came from behind to finish second in 2:09:49, one position up on his finish last year. Ramaala (2:08:32) finished third. Abdelkader El Mouaziz, twice a London champion, finished fourth (2:09:03). Baldini (2:09:25) and Brown (2:09:31 PB) finished 5th and 6th, respectively.

25th Flora London Marathon - London, GBR; Sunday, April 17 (Distance: 42.195 km)

MEN - 
 1. Martin Lel, KEN, 2:07:26 PB $80,000
 2. Jaouad Gharib, MAR, 2:07:49
 3. Hendrik Ramaala, RSA, 2:08:32
 4. Abdelkader El Mouaziz, MAR, 2:09:03
 5. Stefano Baldini, ITA, 2:09:25
 6. Jon Brown, GBR, 2:09:31 PB
 7. Toshinari Suwa, JPN, 2:10:23
 8. Paul Tergat, KEN, 2:12:36
 9. Sammy Korir, KEN, 2:12:36
10. Evans Rutto, KEN, 2:13:58
11. Frederick Cherono, KEN, 2:13:58

WOMEN - 
 1. Paula Radcliffe, GBR, 2:17:42 $255,000#
 2. Constantina Dita, ROM, 2:22:50 PB
 3. Susan Chepkemei, KEN, 2:24:00 
 4. Margaret Okayo, KEN, 2:25:22
 5. Ludmila Petrova, RUS, 2:26:29
 6. Benita Johnson, AUS, 2:26:32
 7. Joyce Chepchumba, KEN, 2:27:01
 8. Sonia O'Sullivan, IRL, 2:29:01
 9. Mulu Seboka, ETH, 2:30:54
10. Mara Yamauchi, GBR, 2:31:52

# $55,000 for victory, $50,000 for sub-2:22:00; $25,000 for course record in all-women's race (sub-2:18:56), $125,000 for world record in all-women's race (sub-2:18:56)