Kenyan Ndereba Powers to World Marathon Gold

Kenya`s Catherine Ndereba powered to her second world championship marathon gold medal.

Kenya's Catherine Ndereba powered to her second world championship marathon gold medal with a perfectly executed run on Sunday.

Ndereba, who also won gold in 2003 and took silver in 2005, hit the front at the 36km mark and surged clear over the last two kilometres to clock two hours 30 minutes 37 seconds in Osaka.

China's Zhou Chunxiu claimed silver in 2:30.45 and Japan's Reiko Tosa rallied to take bronze in a time of 2:30.55 and earn the host country its first medal of the championships.

"Some people said after I didn't win in Athens or Helsinki 'Catherine is finished' -- but I showed them that with the help of God I can win again," Ndereba told reporters.

"I was feeling cramps in my leg at the end. I was trying to control the race and observe where the Chinese runner was. It was the toughest marathon of my career. It was so hot."

Ndereba's victory made it a marathon double for Kenya after Luke Kibet ended the country's 20-year wait for gold in the men's marathon on the opening day of the world championships.

While slightly cooler than the brutal conditions for the men's marathon last weekend, runners were sucking on cold sponges between water pick-ups.

Russia's Galina Bogomolova was one of several runners who fell victim to the intense humidity, collapsing by the roadside and needing an oxygen mask to revive her.

Ten runners failed to finish the race and two were taken to hospital as a precaution, the IAAF told Reuters.

PICTURE OF CALM

Ndereba, however, was a picture of calm behind her sunglasses, the 2004 Olympic silver medallist content to glide along behind the leading pack for the first 30km.

The 35-year-old, who took silver in 2005 behind Britain's Paula Radcliffe, moved menacingly through the gears in the last 10km to strike the first psychological blow.

Ndereba kicked for home after 39km with Zhou struggling to cling on. Zhou, who won this year's London Marathon, comfortably took silver to add to her gold at the 2006 Asian Games.

"I hurt my right ankle in China a week before the championships and near the end it started to hurt," said Zhou.

"The injury cut short my preparation so it feels okay to get silver. At next year's Olympics everything will work in my favour being in my home country."

Tosa's bronze was arguably more significant, securing her place on Japan's team for the 2008 Beijing Olympics as well as breaking the host nation's medal drought in Osaka.

She had to dig deep after fading around the 39km mark but, roared on by thousands of flag-waving fans along the route, she clawed her way past Kenya's Rita Jeptoo for third place.

"The support gave me a real push in the end," said a shattered Tosa, who won silver at the 2001 world championships.

"I'm so relieved. I knew I couldn't give up on a medal. I was just running on spirit in the end."