Kenya's Lel wins London Marathon men's race

Defending champion Martin Lel of Kenya won the men's race in the 2008 London Marathon in a course record time of 2 hours 5 minutes and 15 seconds Sunday.

Lel's time broke the previous London best of 2:05:38 set by Khalid Khannounchi of the United States in 2002.

Sammy Wanjiru, also of Kenya, was second Sunday in 2:05:24 and Morocco's Abderrahim Goumri third in 2:05:30.

At one point Lel looked as if he might threaten the world record of 2:04:26 set by Ethiopia's Haile Gebrselassie in Berlin in September before slowing in the closing stages.