Brazilian wins NY marathon

Gomes won the men's race in two hours, nine minutes and 58 seconds to claim the $130,000 top prize ahead of four Kenyans.

Stephen Kiogora, fourth in the 2004 Boston Marathon, was second in 2:10:06 followed by world record holder and 2005 NYC champion Paul Tergat in 2:10:10.

Twenty-four seconds farther back was Daniel Yego, who finished ahead of fellow Kenyan Rodgers Rop and Olympic champion Stefano Baldini of Italy, who was sixth in 2:11:33.

Prokopcuka, blowing kisses and waving to the Central Park crowd at the finish, ran an unofficial time of two hours 25 minutes five seconds to win by one minute over Tatiana Hladyr of Ukraine, winner of this year's Rome Marathon.

Catherine Ndereba of Kenya was third, snapping her streak of finishing first or second in her last 15 marathons.

Prokopcuka became the first woman to repeat as New York champion since Tegla Loroupe of Kenya in 1995.

The 30-year-old Latvian led from the beginning, staying up with the pacemaker while the rest of the pack ran a more deliberate pace.

Hladyr joined Prokopcuka after about 10 miles (16 kms) and the two ran alongside one another until the Latvian began to pull away about three miles from the finish.