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200
meters into the race, Lornah Kiplagat had already built a lead.
|
Susan
Chepkemei of Kenya runs in second place.
|
Chepkemei
holds the world best in the half marathon.
|
Slovenia's
Helena Javornik runs in fourth place.
|
Though
there were nearly 3,500 women in the race, Lornah Kiplagat ran as
if she were out on a solo tempo run.
|
|
Kiplagat
passed through the mile in 4:47 and had long since left her competition
behind.
|
A
year ago, she battled with Morocco's Asmae Leghzaoui through Central
Park.
|
Leghzaoui
pulled away and won in a world best 30:29, Kiplagat finished second
in 30:44, also under the old course record.
|
This
year, Leghzaoui was out of the race, serving a two-year suspension
after testing positive for EPO earlier in the year.
|
By
winning this race, Kiplagat put herself in contention for the $100,000
bonus awarded to any woman who wins the Mini and the ING NYC Marathon
in the same year.
|
Kiplagat
maintained her lead to win the race in 31:13.
[Finish
Video].
|
Susan
Chepkemei finished second in 31:35.
|
Chepkemei
finished 22 seconds behind Kiplagat and a whopping 51 seconds ahead
of third place.
|
The
battle for third place was a close one with five runners finishing
within five seconds of one another.
|
Margaret
Okayo sprinted away from the pack to finish third in 32:26.
|
|
Catherine
Ndereba finished fifth in 32:29.
|
Jane
Kiptoo kicked by Ndereba to finish fourth (32:27).
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Helena
Javornik finished sixth (32:30).
|
Jen
Rhines was the top American finisher and eighth overall (32:34).
|
2000
New York City Marathon champion Ludmila Petrova finished ninth here
in 32:38.
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