NEW YORK, Nov 3: Britain’s Paula Radcliffe won her third New York Marathon crown in a blow-out here on Sunday while Brazil’s Marilson Gomes dos Santos won his second title on a last-mile pass of Morocco’s Abderrahim Goumri.

Radcliffe won in an official time of 2hrs, 23mins 56secs with Russian Ludmila Petrova second in 2:25:43 and marathon debutante Kara Goucher third in 2:25:53.

“It was a close finish at the end with the others so it was nice to make it a little easier on my husband this time,” Radcliffe said.

Dos Santos, who also won here in 2006, fell off Goumri’s pace in the 21st mile but held his form and surged ahead of the Moroccan in Central Park for the victory in 2:08:43 with Goumri second for the second year in a row in 2:09:07.

“I never lost hope,” Dos Santos stated. “When I got into Central Park, the people got me going and inspired me to win the race.”

In cool and windy conditions for the 39th New York Marathon, Radcliffe led from start to finish to match her 2004 and 2007 triumphs and join nine-time winner Grete Waitz as the only woman to capture the race more than twice.

Results:

Women’s: 1 Paula Radcliffe (GBR) 2hrs 23mins 56secs; 2 Ludmila Petrova (Russia) 2:25:43; 3 Kara Goucher (US) 2:25:53; 4 Rita Jeptoo (Kenya) 2:27:49; 5 Catherine Ndereba (Kenya) 2:29:14; 6 Gete Wami (Ethiopia) 2:29:25; 7 Dire Tune (Ethiopia) 2:29:28; 8 Lidia Simon (Romania) 2:30:04; 9 Lyubov Morgunova (Russia) 2:30:38; 10 Katie McGregor (US) 2:31:14.

Men’s: 1 Marilson Gomes Dos Santos (Brazil) 2:08:43; 2 Abderrahim Goumri (Morocco) 2:09:07; 3 Daniel Rono (Kenya) 2:11:22; 4 Paul Tergat (Kenya) 2:13:10; 5 Abderrahime Bouramdane (Morocco) 2:13:33; 6 Abdi Abdirahman (US) 2:14:17; 7 Josh Rohatinsky (US) 2:14:23; 8 Jason Lehmkuhle (US) 2:14:30; 9 Hosea Rotich (Kenya) 2:15:26; 10 Bolota Asmerom (US) 2:16:37.—AFP