Yomi Omogbeja (19/04/2005)

Kenya's Catherine Ndereba has won the Boston Marathon for the fourth time.

The 32-year-old coasted home in 2:25.13 despite having trailed the leaders for the majority of the race.

The 2004 Olympic silver medalist and second-fastest woman in history was trailing by 23 seconds at 5k and at the half mark, 1 minute and 20 seconds behind.

But, she pulled away from Ethiopia's Elfenesh Alemu in the last three miles to become the first woman in history to win the race four times.

Ndereba said: "First of all, it felt like my legs were heavy. I didn't like to take a chance of pushing it. I kept on doing it, running it easy.

"It feels very good, and I thank God for the history I made. It is more than a thrill."

Last year runner up, Alemu finished second this time in 2:27:03, while Italian Bruna Genovese was third in 2:29:51.

Jinx Broken

Ethiopia's Hailu Negussie ended Kenya's dominance of the men's race winning in 2:11:45, first since Abebe Mekonnen won in 1989, and claimed a victor's prize of $100,000.

Negussie, 27, consigned Kenyan athletes, who had won 13 of the previous 14 men's races in Boston, to battle for scraps.

Wilson Onsare took the second position, and its accompanying $40,000 in prize money, in 2:12:21 while Benson Cherono, 20, settled for third and $22,500 with 2:12:48.

Negussie said: "I'm so happy to have won this race. It's been so many years since an Ethiopian won the Boston Marathon.

"This is considered the greatest of marathons, so I'm proud to be the one who won the Boston Marathon for Ethiopia."

Ernst Van Dyk of South Africa won his fifth consecutive wheelchair race, finishing in 1:24:11 - almost six minutes ahead of countryman Krige Schabort.

2005 BOSTON MARATHON CHAMPIONS

Men's Open:
Hailu Negussie (Ethiopia),
2:11:45

Women's Open:
Catherine Ndereba (Kenya),
2:25:13

Men's Masters:
Joshua Kipkemboi (Kenya),
2:19:28

Women's Masters:
Madina Biktagirova (Russia), 2:32:41

Men's Push Rim Wheelchair:
Ernst Van Dyk (South Africa), 1:24:11

Women's Push Rim Wheelchair:
Cheri Blauwet (United States), 1:47:45