NEW YORK, Nov. 5 (UPI) -- Jelena Prokopcuka of Latvia took first place for women in Sunday's New York Marathon, while Marilson Gomes dos Santos of Brazil took the men's title.
Prokopcuka, who finished in 2 hours, 25 minutes and 5 seconds, was the first woman in more than a decade to win the race in two consecutive years. Tatiana Hladyr of Ukraine came in second, exactly one minute behind.
Dos Santos, an unexpected winner, finished in 2 hours, 9 minutes and 58 seconds. He was 8 seconds ahead of Stephen Kiogora of Kenya and 12 seconds faster than last year's champion, Paul Tergat, also a Kenyan.
Cyclist Lance Armstrong ran the 26.2 miles in 2:59:37. The seven-times Tour de France champion achieved both of his Marathon ambitions, to finish in under 3 hours and within an hour of the winner.
The race began on the Verrazano Narrows Bridge between Brooklyn and Staten Island in nippy and windy weather.
"Today an excellent day to have nice great race," Prokopcuka said just before the start.
