Kenya's Paul Tergat outran defending champion Hendrick Ramaala of South Africa to grab the men's title of the New York City Marathon with a time of 2 hours, 9 minutes and 30 seconds on Sunday.

Jelena Prokopcuka of Latvia won the women event after pulling away from struggling Susan Chepkemei of Kenya and winning by 14 seconds in 2:24:41 to earn a marathon-record prize of 130,000 U.S. dollars.

Tergat held off Ramaala in the final few meters for the victory. Ramaala fell to the ground after crossing the finish line, finished one second behind, the closest finish in the race's history.

American Meb Keflizighi the was third by clocking 2 hour, 9 minutes and 56 seconds, barely failing again to end a 24-year U.S. victory drought in New York.

The 36-year-old Tergat holds the world record in the marathon in 2:04:55 set at the 2003 Berlin Marathon. Until Sunday, it was his only win in a major marathon.

Tergat is the ninth straight African to win the title at the New York City Marathon.

Prokopcuka, who dropped back by 18 seconds with about 8 kilometers, rallied to catch the leaders and then passed Chepkemei on their first trip through the Central Park.

Chepkemei, who was stumbling and spitting up, managed to hold on for the second place for the third time in New York.

Prokopcuka never had won a major marathon before, though she was fifth in her New York debut last year.

Chepkemei, who finished in 2:24:55 for second, was followed by Derartu Tulu of Ethiopia in 2:25:21.

Source: Xinhua