Ndereba, Tola take New York Half-Marathon titles

0 Comments | AFP, July, 2008

NEW YORK (AFP) — Kenya's Catherine Ndereba won the New York Half-Marathon women's crown on Sunday, solidifying her favorite status for the Beijing Olympics marathon, while Ethiopia's Tadesse Tola took the men's title.

Ndereba, the 2004 Olympic marathon runner-up, won the inaugural women's race here in 2006 and made her move in the final mile to win the 13.1-mile race in 1hr 10mins 19secs.

Mexico's Madai Perez, 28, was second, seven seconds back, and Japan's Yuri Kano, 29, was third, 12 seconds off the winning pace. Ndereba joined leaders Kano and Perez with four miles to go and surged ahead late.

"After 12 miles I was pushing hard, trying to push it a little harder," Ndereba said. "I surprised myself."

Australia's Benita Johnson, the 2006 runner-up,...