Mouaziz clinches men's Marathon

The men's Flora London Marathon was won in convincing fashion by Abdelkader El Mouaziz - his second success in the capital in three years.  

The Moroccan won in his fastest-ever time of of two hours 07 minutes 11 seconds.

Pushing the pace quickly from Tower Bridge, El Mouaziz was never headed in the second 13 miles of the race, easily blunting the threat of debutant Paul Tergat of Kenya and the third placed defending champion Antonio Pinto from Portugal.

There were high hopes that Tergat might approach Khalid Khannounchi's 1999 world record time of two hours 05mins 42secs but the 31-year-old found the distance a tough test, although he ran two hours eight mins 15secs.

Ethiopian Derartu Tulu emerged triumphant in a nail-biting finish to the women's race.

Twice winner of the Olympic 10,000 metres, Tulu proved in her fifth marathon she has finally made the transition to the longer distance.

The 29-year-old - sixth 12 months ago - crossed the finishing line in a personal best but unofficial time of two hours 23 minutes 56 seconds.

Tulu, three-times World Cross-Country champion, was six seconds ahead of Russia's Svetlana Zakharova with third place going to Olympic bronze medallist Joyce Chepchumba of Kenya who clocked two hours 24 minutes 11 seconds.

But despite Tulu's victory, the hearts of the thousands of spectators lining the 26 miles 382 yards route from Greenwich to The Mall, went out to last year's women's winner, Tegla Loroupe.

The race looked over for the tiny Kenyan when after three miles she came to a halt. But the 27-year-old world record holder, after doing stretching exercises for a hamstring problem which lost her a vital minute, resumed the race.