Yomi Omogbeja (07/11/2004)

South Africa’s Hendrick Ramaala has won the ING New York City Marathon, ahead of home favourite and Athens 2004 marathon silver medallist Meb Keflezighi.

Ramaala, 32, thus became the second South African after Willie Mtolo in 1992 to win in New York.

His winning time was 2:09.28, well ahead of Eritrean-born Keflezighi - the first American man in 28 years to earn an Olympic marathon medal - who was second in 2:09.53.

Kenyan Timothy Cherigat, the 2004 Boston Marathon champion, came third in 2:10.00 - marking the worst finish for Kenya in the men's race since 1996, when Giacomo Leone and Turbo Tummo pushed Joseph Kamau into third.

American Meb Keflezighi led the men’s race at the twenty-fourth mile just before they entered the Central Park, with Hendrick Ramaala and Timothy Cherigat close on his heels

But, Ramaala pulled out into the lead in the Central Park, and on the curving park roads established a lead which took him out of sight of the pursuing Cherigat and Keflezighi as he emerged onto Central Park South.

Ramaala has been a stellar half-marathon runner, winning Lisbon several times, but has yet to put together a marathon to match his half-marathon performances, before this win.

He defied strong winds in Portsmouth to win the Bupa Great South Run last month.

Sprint Finish

Kenyan Susan Chepkemei lost to Briton Paula Radcliffe in a thrilling women’s race, which came down to a sprint finish at the end.

The pair was locked together for the last few miles - and with just a few hundred metres to go, Radcliffe made a decisive move and it was enough to clinch victory in two hours, 23 minutes and 10 seconds.

Chepkemei held on for second in 2:23:14, ahead of Russian Lyubov Denisova (2:25:18) and compatriot Margaret Okayo (2:26:31) in third and fourth place.

The professional women's race started on schedule, in mild condition idea for marathon, at 9:35 am from the start-line on Staten Island.

The field is considered the best-ever in the New York City Marathon history, featuring world record-holder Paula Radcliffe, 2004 Olympic bronze medallist Deena Kastor, defending champion and course record-holder Margaret Okayo, and reigning World Cross Country champion Benita Johnson.

Led by pacemaker Leah Malot, one of four Kenyans in the leading group, the women hit the first mile in 5:43 and the two-mile mark in 10:45.