Kenyan Paul Lekuraa won a close finish to the 26th Athens Classic Marathon yesterday but the event was overshadowed by the death of a club runner taking part in one of the parallel races.

A 60-year-old Greek man collapsed while running the 10-km race, officials said.

"He collapsed right outside a hospital and was quickly taken in but it seems he died there from heart failure," a race official told Reuters.

Lekuraa, who set a race record of two hours 12 minutes 42 seconds, had to sprint down the final stretch and was only a stride ahead of compatriot Seurei Julius Kiprotich who clocked the same time.

Seven seconds back came a third Kenyan, Paul Kogo.

Japan's Tagami Mai won the women's event in 2:36.58.

More than 4,600 runners started the marathon, the biggest field in its history.

The Athens Classic Marathon follows the route supposedly taken by messenger Pheidippides when he carried news of the Athenians' victory over the Persians in 490 BC from the town of Marathon to Athens.