Martin Lel won the men’s Flora London Marathon in the world’s fastest time of the year – two hours seven minutes 26seconds.

London Marathon race director David Bedford is delighted Jon Brown will compete in next year’s event and believes the British number one can run a lifetime best on the new super-fast course.

Brazilian Vanderlei de Lima was tonight involved in the first high-profile security breach of the Olympic Games as a spectator watching the men’s marathon accosted the long-time race leader.

An interesting exchange is expected this morning when Flora London Marathon race director David Bedford and top British star Jon Brown come face to face.

Jon Brown (Sheffield AC) and Mark Draper (Windsor Slough Eton & Hounslow AC) have withdrawn from the Great Britain and Northern Ireland Team for the IAAF World Cross Country Championships in Lausanne.

SONIA O’SULLIVAN’S bite at the Big Apple ended in disappointment yesterday when she struggled home in 12th place in the New York City Marathon in a time of 2:32:06.

Paula Radcliffe is not taking anything for granted even though her three top rivals will be missing when she defends her World Cross Country long course title in Dublin tomorrow.

Thousands of runners today set off on the New York City Marathon, pledging to ‘‘strike a blow to terrorism’’.

Britain’s top middle-distance runner John Mayock is considering switching his allegiance from England to Ireland as he steps up in distance to 5,000 metres next summer.