Catherina win confirms her true potential.

CATHERINA MCKIERNAN confirmed her enormous potential by storming to victory in the London Marathon in only her second-ever race over the distance.

Irish star McKiernan, who ran the fastest debut marathon in history in Berlin last September, trailed the leader by over a minute-and-a-half after 15 miles.

But the four-times world cross-country runner-up timed her run to perfection and pulled clear of the chasing pack to reel in the leaders and breeze past to win in a time of two hours 26 minutes 26 seconds.

Liz McColgan had to settle for second place for the second year in succession in 2hrs 26mins 54secs, with last year's champion Joyce Chepchumba third in 2:27:22.

The men's race saw another thrilling finish with world champion Abel Anton of Spain overcoming a brave bid for victory by unknown Moroccan, Abdelkader El Mouaziz.

Mouaziz made a break after 20 miles and opened up a lead on Anton and defending champion Antonio Pinto of Portugal.

But as the pace began to tell on Mouaziz, who ran nearly two minutes quicker than his previous best, Anton produced a devastating finish to go past with the finish in sight and he won in 2:07:57, two seconds outside the course record set by Pinto last year.

Pinto finished third.

Pacemaker Helen Kimaiyo led the women's field through the 13-mile marker before pulling out, her job done in a good time of just under 72 minutes. That left Adriana Fernandez of Mexico in the lead with Romania's Lidia Simon in second place, although all the major contenders were in a group 75 seconds down the road.

McColgan had suffered an early scare at the first drinks station, dropping her specially-prepared drink and being forced to go back to retrieve it.

That saw her drop to the back of the main bunch but she soon recovered and took up her familiar position at the front of the chasing pack.

Fernandez was 15 seconds clear of Simon after 15 miles and had a lead of over one-and-a-half minutes over the chasing pack.

McKiernan and McColgan could then be seen talking to each other as the gap threatened to get out of control and the 28-year-old Irish runner decided it was time to do something about it.

She increased her pace significantly and began to close the deficit, down to one minute after 18 miles and just 39 seconds a mile later, leaving the chasing pack behind.

Simon was passed after 20 miles and just seconds later McKiernan breezed past Fernandez as if she had just started a 1500 metres race.

The pace began to tell on Fernandez, who dropped back through the field, and McColgan, Chepchumba and Marleen Renders of Belgium caught Simon through the Tower of London.

But the day belonged to McKiernan, who was well outside her best time but delighted to have finally added another prize to her European cross- country title.

RESULTS

MEN

1. Abel Anton (Spain) 2:07.57

2. Abdelkader El Mouaziz (Morocco) 2:08.07.

3. Antonio Pinto (Portugal) 2:08.13.

4. Julio Rey, (Spain) 2:08.33.

WOMEN

1. Catherina McKiernan (Ire) 2:26.26.

2. Liz McColgan, (Britain) 2:26.54.

3. Joyce Chepchumba, (Kenya) 2:27.22.

4. Marleen Renders, (Belgium) 2:27.30.