Olympics: Romania's Tomescu wins women's marathon title

Monday, 18 August 2008

BEIJING - Constantina Tomescu gave Romania their first ever women's Olympic marathon title here on Sunday as she won in a time of 2hours 26minutes 44seconds.

The 38-year-old, who bettered compatriot Lidia Simon's silver medal from the 2000 Games, beat home world champion Catherine Ndereba of Kenya who won her second successive Olympic silver medal while China's Zhou Chunxiu was third.

There was more Olympic misery for Britain's world record holder Paula
Radcliffe as she faded to finish 23rd.Radcliffe finished limping badly on the left leg which she suffered a stress fracture off earlier this year.

She is still without an Olympic medal.