Radcliffe, 33, who gave birth to her first child, Isla, in January, was running in her first marathon since winning the world title in Helsinki in 2005. The world record-holder won in 2 hrs 23 mins 9 secs - a second faster than her 2004 time.
Afterwards, she told BBC Sport that Wami had given her a scare when she drew level in the final mile. "I've had years and years of her outsprinting me, and I just thought there's no way it's going to happen again," Radcliffe said. "It was tough - I didn't have the breathing problems I usually get towards the end, but my legs felt very tired. I just kept repeating to myself 'I love you Isla' to keep my rhythm going." Radcliffe paid tribute to American elite runner Ryan Shay who collapsed and died during Saturday's US men's marathon trials in Central Park. "This (winning) is sport but that is a tragedy, and it puts everything into perspective," she said. Radcliffe has now won all seven of the marathons she has finished in her career - only at the 2004 Olympics in Athens did she drop out. Two-time defending champion Jelena Prokopcuka finished a distant third, clocking 2:26.13. She and the rest of the chasing pack, including Kenyan world champion Catherine Ndereba, were left trailing in the leading pair's wake. Kenya's Martin Lel , who won the London Marathon in April, triumphed in the men's race. As he did in London, he burnt off Morocco's Abderrahim Goumri in the last few hundred metres to win in 2.09.04. South Africa's Hendrick Ramaala, who won in New York in 2004, finished third in 2:11.24. Edith Hunkeler of Switzerland won the women's wheelchair race ahead of Britain's Shelly Woods. Conditions in New York were dry and sunny for the race which began in Staten Island and took in Brooklyn, Queens and the Bronx before heading in Manhattan.
Source: BBC Sport
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