JP/10/run/set 2 col box

Tulu returns to competition

Litochoro, Greece, (UPI): A strong run by Olympic 10,000-meter champion Derartu Tulu lifted Ethiopia to the silver medal position Saturday in the women's World Road Relay Championships, but the honors went to Russia.

In the six-leg team relay run in the shadow of Mount Olympus, Russia clocked a combined winning time of 2 hours 17 minutes 19 seconds, ahead of Ethiopia (2:19:09) and Romania (2:19:18).

Tulu, competing for the first time since suffering a serious knee injury at the 1993 World Cross-Country Championships, put her team 33 seconds ahead after the second leg, but her teammates were unable to hold onto the lead.

Yelena Kopytova, 25, clocked a fine time of 15 minutes 45 seconds for the third leg over five kilometers to put the Russians back into a lead which they did not relinquish again.

The road relay format divides the marathon distance of 42.195 kilometers (26.2 miles) into six stages.

In London, Mexico's Dionicio Ceron defied the weather to win the London Marathon here yesterday in under 2 hours 10 minutes.

Katrin Dorre of Germany won the women's race for the third year in succession.

Ceron finished in 2 hours 8.52 minutes, comfortably ahead of Abebe Mekonnen of Ethiopia and another Mexican German Silva.

In the men's race the early miles ticked away at 2 hours 8 minutes pace despite the cold and blustery weather. A leading group of more than 20 stayed together for three-quarters of the race, but approaching 19 miles Mekonnen spread them out with the fastest mile of the race.

Last year's winner Eamonn Martin was dropped at that point. Ceron, Mekonnen, Italian Salvatore Bettiol, Silva (a marathon debutant) and last year's third finisher Grzegorz Gajdus of Poland pulled away.

Ceron made the decisive break at 23 miles. Dorre, 32, came home in 2 hours 32.34 minutes, well clear of Australia's Lisa Ondieki in second place. She also made a decisive break after 23 miles and came home unchallenged.

[6pts] Results (World Relay) 1. Russia (Tatyana Pentukova, Natalya Galyamova, Yelena Kopytova, Natalya Solominskaya, Yelena Romanova, Olga Churbanova), 2 hours 17 minutes 19 seconds 2. Ethiopia (Askele Bireca, Derartu Tulu, Leila Aman, Gadise Edato, Berhan Dagne, Asha Gigi), 2:19:09 3. Romania (Daniela Bran, Alina Tecuta, Mariana Chirila, Anuta Catuna, Florina Pana, Iulia Negura), 2:19:18