Zhou Chunxiu became the first Chinese London Marathon champion
when she won the women's race in two hours 20 minutes 38 seconds
yesterday.
Zhou, competing in her first city marathon outside Asia, made
her decisive break at 37 km leaving Dutch world cross country
champion Lornah Kiplagat and Gete Wami of Ethiopia in her wake.
The Chinese Asian Games gold medalist sounded a warning for next
year's Beijing Olympics with a burst of speed that quickly gave her
an unassailable lead over former 10,000 meters world champion Wami
who trailed home over a minute behind in 2:21.45.
China's Zhou Chunxiu crosses the finish line to win the 2007
women's elite event in the London Marathon yesterday. Zhou became
the first Chinese to win the race. Reuters
Romania's Constantina Tomescu-Dita fought back to take third in
2:23.55 after dropping off the pace halfway.
Kiplagat, pre-race favorite and long time leader, faded badly
over the latter stages of the 42.195 km distance to finish
fifth.
Zhou was the fastest woman in the field with a personal best of
2:19.51 when she won the Seoul Marathon last March. In 2005, she
became the first woman to run four sub-2:30 marathons in year.
Last year's London winner Deena Kastor of the US did not defend
her London title, opting instead for last Monday's Boston marathon
where she was fifth.
In the men's race, Martin Lel of Kenya sprinted to victory in
two hours seven minutes 41 seconds to retain the men's title he won
in 2005.
There was disappointment for former Olympic 10,000m champion
Haile Gebrselassie, who did not finish the race, while marathon
world record holder Paul Tergat fell off the pace in the final two
km to finish sixth.
Gebrselassie had been up with the lead group before stepping off
the road shortly after the 30 km mark clutching his stomach.
Asked what he thought had caused him to pull up, the 34-year-old
told BBC television: "I don't know ... maybe it was something I
drank."
Lel, who was outsprinted last year by compatriot Felix Limo, was
not about to let the same thing happen again and held off Morocco's
Abderrahim Goumri in the race for the line.
(China Daily via Agencies April 23, 2007)