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
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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)