Briefs | Lel, Mikitenko take London Marathon titles

Running

Lel sets course record: Martin Lel of Kenya set a course record of 2 hours, 5 minutes, 15 seconds Sunday and captured his third London Marathon in four years.

Irina Mikitenko of Germany took the women's race in her second marathon attempt, winning by 25 seconds.

It was the first time the top three finishers in a marathon had times faster than 2:06. It was also the first time in 4 ½ years anyone other than Haile Gebrselassie of Ethiopia was faster than 2:06 for 26.2 miles. Gebrselassie holds the world record at 2:04:26.

"I think what happened today makes me confident of breaking the world record," said Lel, who also won in London in 2005 and last year. "Despite the wind and rain, we ran a fast time."

Runner-up Sammy Wanjiru of Kenya finished in 2:05:24 and Abderrahim Goumri of Morocco was third in 2:05:30.

Ryan Hall of Big Bear Lake, Calif., finished fifth in a personal-best 2:06:17.

Mikitenko won in 2:24:14. Russian Svetlana Zakharova was second in 2:24:39 and Ethiopia's Gete Wami was third in 2:25:37.

Kipsang triumphs: William Kipsang of Kenya took the Rotterdam Marathon in the Netherlands in a course-record 2:05:49. Daniel Rono of Kenya was second in 2:06:58.

Auto racing

Johnson takes NASCAR Sprint Cup event: It might be wise to ignore talk about Hendrick Motorsports slipping into the pack.

Jimmie Johnson, the two-time reigning NASCAR Sprint Cup champion, gave Rick Hendrick's high-profile team its first victory of the year Saturday night at Phoenix International Raceway in Avondale, Ariz.

"We're back," Johnson said. "We've been working very hard to get back."

Despite leading a race-high 120 laps in the Subway Fresh Fit 500, Johnson's victory wasn't secure until crew chief Chad Knaus gambled on going the last 80 laps without stopping for fuel.

Wilkerson wins Funny Car event: Tim Wilkerson raced to his first Funny Car victory since 2004, beating Ashley Force in the NHRA SummitRacing.com Nationals at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Force leads the Funny Car standings, the first time a woman has held the top spot.

Other winners were Cory McClenathan (Top Fuel) and Jason Line (Pro Stock).

Soccer

Manchester United edges Arsenal: Owen Hargreaves' free kick in the 72nd minute gave Manchester United a 2-1 victory over Arsenal, putting his team closer to the English Premier League title.

Man U leads the league with 80 points, six more than Chelsea.

Toronto FC wins MLS match: Substitute Jeff Cunningham scored in the 88th minute to give Toronto FC a 3-2 victory over the Los Angeles Galaxy in a Major League Soccer match in Carson, Calif.

Landon Donovan scored the Galaxy's goals.

Curling

Canada beats Scotland for world championship: Skip Kevin Martin guided Canada to a 6-3 victory over Scotland in the men's world championship final in Grand Forks, N.D.

Sailing

Americans lead: The U.S. team of John MacCausland and crew Kevin Murphy took the overall lead after three days in the Star Worlds in Miami.

Boxing

Cotto-Margarito bout is likely in July: Undefeated WBA champion Miguel Cotto will take on new IBF champ Antonio Margarito in late July, probably on the 26th and likely at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, N.J., or at Madison Square Garden in New York.

Cotto and Margarito each won tuneup bouts Saturday in Atlantic City.

Cycling

Boonen wins one-day classic: Tom Boonen of the Quick Step-Innergetic team won his second Paris-Roubaix race, beating former champion Fabian Cancellara of Team CSC.

Belgian Boonen, also the 2005 champion, covered 160.9 miles in 5 hours, 58 minutes, 42 seconds.

Horse racing

Filly might compete in Derby: Eight Belles, a filly trained by Larry Jones, might be entered in the May 3 Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs.

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