Brazil's Marilson Gomes dos Santos cruised to an easy win in the annual 15-kilometre Sao Silvestre road race in Sau Paulo last weekend.

Santos, who also won in 2003, completed the course in 44 minutes 21 seconds, nearly one minute ahead of defending champion Robert Cheruiyot of Kenya who finished second in 45.17. Kenya's Patrick Ivuti was third in 45.30.

Santos had the race to himself after he broke clear of Cheruiyot, who also won the event in 2002, at the 10-km mark.

An estimated 12,400 runners took part in the race which has been run through the streets of Latin America's largest city every New Year's Eve since 1925.

Earlier, Olivera Jevtic of Serbia won the women's race in a time of 51.38.

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