Tergat wins New York marathon in final meters

By Larry Fine

NEW YORK (Reuters) – World record holder Paul Tergat pushed
ahead in the final few meters to defeat defending champion
Hendrick Ramaala of South Africa in a thrilling finish to the
New York City Marathon on Sunday.

The Kenyan, five-times world cross country champion, and
Ramaala ran side by side over the last 100 meters in Central
Park, trading the lead in a sprint the Kenyan won by less than
a third of a second as Ramaala collapsed after crossing the
line.

Tergat, competing in his first New York Marathon, clocked
two hours nine minutes 29.90 seconds with Ramaala at 2:09:30.22
in the closest finish in the 36-year history of the race.

“I had to give all that I had at the end,” said Tergat, who
needed a last surge in the final 20 meters to win. “It was very
hard.”

A disappointed Ramaala said: “I was beaten by a great
champion. He’s one of the greatest runners ever.”

Third place went to 2004 runner-up and Olympic silver
medallist Meb Keflezighi of the United States in 2:09:50.

The women’s race, like the men’s, began with a large pack
of lead runners bunched together on a warm, humid day, but
boiled down to a duel between Jelena Prokopcuka of Latvia and
Kenya’s Susan Chepkemei, with the Latvian pulling away.

Prokopcuka, who finished fifth last year, overcame a pain
in her right side that caused her to drop back before a late
charge brought her victory with a time of 2:24:41 and made her
the first Latvian winner of the New York race.

“New York is a very important, huge marathon,” said
Prokopcuka, who won her first major marathon after claiming
victory this year in Osaka. “Now maybe I want to win in
Chicago, Boston and London.”

Kenya’s Chepkemei, also runner-up last year just three
seconds behind Briton Paula Radcliffe, finished 14 seconds back
in second place.

STRUGGLING PHYSICALLY

The Kenyan was struggling physically toward the end,
vomiting as she fought to hold her lead after Prokopcuka
charged up to challenge her.

Twice Olympic 10,000 meters champion Derartu Tulu of
Ethiopia finished third in 2:25:21.

Tergat, 36, received $100,000 for his victory, while
Prokopcuka collected $130,000 — the highest guaranteed purse
in marathon history thanks to an added $30,000 for the women’s
winner put in by the sponsor.

Foggy conditions made it humid, but kept temperatures down
as runners started from Verrazano Narrows Bridge in Staten
Island for the race through the five boroughs of New York with
more than 2 million people cheering them on.

The women’s lead group numbered eight until the 20-mile
mark, while 17 men ran in a pack until reaching the Queensboro
Bridge that brings the race into Manhattan at the 16-mile mark.

Ramaala surged as they made their way up First Avenue in
Manhattan, putting in a blistering 4:21 mile as he tried to
separate from the field.

Kenyan Robert Kipkoech Cheruiyot, Keflezighi and Tergat
stayed with the South African.

Ramaala tried a number of breakaways, but Tergat stayed
close and turned the marathon into a sprint at the end.

“The weather was very hot but I tried to keep cool,” Tergat
said about staying just off the pace set by Ramaala.

“New York is one of the greatest races in the world,” added
the 36-year-old Kenyan. “This is very special to me.”

“Who wants to go the last 100 meters with Paul?” Ramaala
said about the agonizing finish. “I gave it everything I could.
Paul didn’t want to lose, I didn’t want to lose.

“Coming in second is not nice.”