Britain's Paula Radcliffe won a stirring last five-mile battle with Susan Chepkemei of Kenya, pulling away only in the final 200 metres, and won today’s ING New York City Marathon in 2:23:10.

Wearing Number 111 - "my lucky number," she said - Radcliffe won, won, won but although she was at or very near the front all the way as usual, she needed everything she could muster to cross the line perhaps 20m ahead of Chepkemei.

The men's race was won by Hendrick Ramaala of South Africa, who took the lead for good with three miles to go (about 37km) and won going away in 2:09:28, some 80 metres ahead of American Mebratom Keflezighi, the Olympic silver medallist.

Both winners, in fact, were did-not-finishers in their respective Athens Olympic marathons.

WOMEN: “What mattered was winning” - Radcliffe

But the major drama was in the women's race. Starting 35 minutes before the men, watchers had plenty of time to get fully engaged with the race between two Athens drop-outs, Radcliffe and last year's winner, Margaret Okayo of Kenya, plus a group of 8-10 others, who by 8 miles (12km) were 34 seconds ahead of Okayo's year-old course record of 2:22:31. Radcliffe was forcing the pace so strongly that designated pace setter Leah Malot of Kenya was having trouble keeping in front of her.

So by the time the men's race had gotten down to a lead pack of 15, nobody could tear his or her eyes away from the agon of Radcliffe and her rivals, who by then had dwindled down to four, Okayo, Chepkemei, fellow Kenyan - now Dutch citizen - Lorna Kiplagat, and most surprising of all a rejuvenated Tegla Loroupe, the 1994-95 winner, also of Kenya. 

Okayo was first to tail away, and then Loroupe. At 17 miles, Kiplagat made a surge, quickly covered by Radcliffe and Chepkemei. At 20 miles, a Radcliffe surge set Kiplagat adrift, and for the next 10,000 metres we saw a magnificent one-on-one that seemed as if it would never end.

Over that period, Chepkemei and Radcliffe surged back and forth, never more than a metre apart, and often running side-by-side for long stretches as neither would give an inch (3cm or so). This went on for half an hour!

They were still side by side as they turned north into Central Park with some 700 metres to go.

Finally, with the finish line in sight, Radcliffe managed a final effort and gradually edged away. Chepkemei was second in 2:23:14, with fast-finishing Lyubov Denisova of Russia third in 2:25:18, Okayo fourth in 2:26:20 and Kiplagat fading to seventh (2:28:21).

"I was confident I could out-kick her at the end," said the World record holder. "I'm a little tired; it's been a long year."

Asked about the relatively slow (for her) time of 2:23:10, Radcliffe said, "What mattered was coming first. What mattered was coming to New York and winning."

MEN: Ramaala's 'Athens' move works this time

Ramaala, who had made a big move at 15km in Athens before dropping out, looked like he might be a slow learner when at 16 miles, coming off the Queensboro Bridge on a steep down slope, he burst out of the pack into the lead, pulling only Kenyans Timothy Cherigat and Enos Kibet Ketter with him.

Over the next mile, Christopher Cheboiboch of Kenya and Keflezghi clawed their way back into contention. At about 20 miles, Cherigat took the lead and tried to break away, but as it turned out he was just making it easier for Ramaala.

At the 23rd mile marker (with 5000m to go) Ramaala cruised easily away from the others, and, looking backwards occasionally, had a good view of the exciting race for second between Keflezghi and Cherigat, which the Olympic silver medallist won in the final km.

Keflezghi's second-place time, 25 seconds back of Ramaala at 2:09:53, broke his PB by 10 seconds. Cherigat was third in 2:10:00 and Patrick Tambwe of France fourth in 2:10:11.

Ramaala's first place money was $100,000, plus a Smart Car and a $30,000 time bonus. Keflezghi did almost as well; his second-place money of $45,000 was doubled because he is an American citizen, and with his time bonus of $25,000 he takes home $115,000.

Radcliffe won $100,000 plus a Smart Car and a $40,000 time bonus. But coming after her Olympic disaster, she won a good deal more.

Jim Dunaway for the IAAF

Men
1 Hendrick Ramaala (RSA) 2:09:28,
2 Meb Keflezighi (USA) 2:09:53,
3 Timothy Cherigat (KEN) 2:10:00,
4 Patrick Tambwe (FRA) 2:10:11,
5 Benson Cherono (FRA) 2:11:23,
6 Christopher Cheboiboch (KEN) 2:12:34,
7 John Kagwe (KEN) 2:12:35,
8 Paul Kirui (KEN) 2:14:04,
9 Ryan Shay (USA) 2:14:08,
10 Ottavio Andriani (ITA) 2:14:51

 Women
1 Paula Radcliffe (GBR) 2:23:10,
2 Susan Chepkemei (KEN) 2:23:14,
3 Lyubov Denisova (RUS) 2:25:18,
4 Margaret Okayo (KEN) 2:26:31,
5 Jelena Prokopcuka (LAT) 2:26:51,
6 Luminita Zaituc (GER) 2:28:15,
7 Lornah Kiplagat (KEN) 2:28:21,
8 Larisa Zousko (RUS) 2:29:32,
9 Madai Perez (MEX) 2:29:57,
10 Kerryn McCann (AUS) 2:32:06