Courtesy: Running USA

At the 17th running of the City of Los Angeles Marathon defending champion Stephen Ndungu and Lyubov Denisova put on brilliant displays of front running to dominate their respective races in personal records of 2:10:27 and 2:28:49. Ndungu of Kenya also made history by becoming the first repeat winner of the event.

Under warm, sunny, cloudless conditions and running on a new, flatter course, the men's pack of ten led by the rabbits Joseph Kariuki and Godfrey Kiprotich held together for the first half of the race (1:04:59). At 15 miles, Kariuki towed a smaller pack of four contenders - Ndungu, 2000 winner Benson Mbithi, Raymond Chemwela and Noah Bor.

At 30K (18.6 miles), Kariuki's day was done and Ndungu, 34, seized the moment and accelerated with a 4:48 19th mile. The three-time champion of the Compaq Houston Marathon broke the race open with a second straight sub 4:50 mile. He went unchallenged to the tape in 2:10:27, the race's third best performance. Countrymen Chemwela and Mbithi followed in 2:12:19 and 2:12:32. Peter DeLaCerda of Alamosa, Colo. was the top American in 2:18:25 and qualified for the 2004 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials.

Asked about his move during the 19th mile, Ndungu said, "I wanted to test the others and see who was strong. It isn't an easy job winning a race twice, and I want to come back and try again."

In the women's race, the early pack - a trio of Romanians Constantina Dita, Aurica Buia and Luminita Talpos, American Sylvia Mosqueda and Kenyan Lucia Subano - went out hard. The five hit 8 miles in 38:50 (2:25 pace), but they all would drop back as Russian Denisova ran a patient race.

At 15 miles, Denisova, the 2001 Grandma's Marathon winner, took the lead and proceeded to rattle off 5:40 miles to pull away from her competition and like Ndungu, she ran the final miles unpressed and in control. Her 2:28:49 was over a 5 minute PR and the 4th fastest time at the event.

Masters star Ukrainian Tatiana Pozdniakova, 46, closed strongly to place second in 2:30:26 to better her world age group (45-59) best by two seconds. Anna Pichrtova of the Czech Republic was third (2:33:25). Local runner Sylvia Mosqueda finished 7th in 2:36:38 to also qualify for the 2004 Olympic Trials.

After the race, Denisova, 30, who trains in Gainesville, Fla. commented on her breakthrough, "I like the warm weather and for the last 10 miles, I was getting stronger." Indeed.

The winners took home $30,000 and a 2002 Honda Accord, while there were a race record 22,107 entrants.

The race this year was not without non-athletic drama. At the press conference, Police Chief Bernard Parks explained that the start had been delayed for about 30 minutes because some of his officers found a "suspicious package" on Figueroa Street near Pico Boulevard near the 3 mile mark. The bomb squad had to investigate and happily, it turned out to be harmless. -- Ryan Lamppa

City of Los Angeles Marathon
Presented by Honda
Los Angeles, CA, Sunday, March 3, 2002

MEN
1) Stephen Ndungu (KEN) 2:10:27 $30,000 + Honda Accord
2) Raymond Chemwela (KEN) 2:12:19 $15,000
3) Benson Mbithi (KEN) 2:12:32 $10,000
4) Noah Bor (KEN) 2:16:17 $4,000
5) James Karanja (KEN) 2:17:38 $3,000
6) Karl Rasmussen (NOR) 2:17:45 $2,000
7) Peter De La Cerda (USA) 2:18:25 $750
8) Naoki Wanatabi (JPN) 2:20:54 $500
9) Alfredo Reyes (GUA) 2:21:54 $375
10) Tom Coogan (USA) 2:24:21 $250

WOMEN
1) Lyubov Denisova (RUS) 2:28:49 $30,000 + Honda Accord
2) Tatiana Pozdniakova (UKR)2:30:26 $15,000
3) Anna Pichrtova (CZE) 2:33:25 $10,000
4) Constantina Dita (ROM) 2:33:58 $4,000
5) Aurica Buia (ROM) 2:34:53 $3,000
6) Lucia Subano (KEN) 2:36:08 $2,000
7) Sylvia Mosqueda (USA) 2:36:38 $1,500
8) Tatiana Titova (RUS) 2:37:16 $1,000
9) Mary Akor (USA) 2:55:49 $375
10) Margarita Conde (GUA) 2:59:29 $250
*includes $5000 time bonus; car valued at $25,300