BRIEFLY : MARATHON MARK FALLS IN BERLIN.

Byline: Daily News Wire Services

Brazil's Ronaldo da Costa ran the fastest marathon in history Sunday, breaking the 10-year-old record by 45 seconds in clocking 2 hours, 6 minutes, 5 seconds, at the Berlin Marathon.

The 28-year-old bettered the previous world best of 2:06:50 set by Ethiopia's Belayneh Densimo at Rotterdam in 1988.

Frederick Alderman, the oldest Olympic gold medalist in track and field in the United States, died of congestive heart failure at age 93 in Social Circle, Ga.

In the 1928 Olympics at Amsterdam, he ran on the U.S. 1,600-meter relay team, helping the Americans win a gold medal and set a world record.

BASEBALL: Pat Gillick made it official: He won't be back as general manager of the Baltimore Orioles.

Gillick, 61, will step down next month from a job he has held since November 1995. It was pretty much a foregone conclusion; the Orioles started their search for his replacement last week.

It has been speculated Gillick might find work with the Dodgers under new GM Kevin Malone.

Kerry Wood threw off a bullpen mound for 10 minutes without pain and will have one more workout Wednesday before determining if he can pitch for the Chicago Cubs in the final series of the season.

``It felt good,'' said Wood, who hasn't pitched since Aug. 31 because of a sprained ligament in his elbow.

Tampa Bay Devil Rays right-hander Rolando Arrojo is likely done for the season after leaving a game against Toronto in the second inning with right biceps stiffness.

NHL: Petr Sykora, who will be asked to contribute more to the New Jersey Devils with the loss of fellow center Doug Gilmour to free agency, signed a new three-year contract.

Sykora had 16 goals and 20 assists in 58 games last season.

Scotty Bowman, who turned 65 on Friday, is still mulling whether to return to coach the two-time defending Stanley Cup champion Detroit Red Wings. Since Detroit won the Cup in June, Bowman has had a partly blocked artery cleared and his left knee replaced.