NEW YORK — Paula Radcliffe defended her title at the New York City Marathon on Sunday to become the second woman to win the race three times.

Marilson Gomes dos Santos of Brazil won the men’s race for the second time in three years, passing Abderrahim Goumri of Morocco with about a mile to go.

On a cool, windy day, 38,377 runners started the race.

Unlike Radcliffe’s tight victories in 2004 and ’07, the world record holder from Great Britain pulled away from Ludmila Petrova in the 22nd mile to win comfortably in two hours, 23 minutes, 56 seconds.

Finishing behind Radcliffe were a veteran proving she can still keep up with younger runners and a marathon rookie showing she can race with the best in the world.

The 40-year-old Petrova was second in 2:25:43, the oldest woman to finish in the top two since Priscilla Welch of Great Britain won in 1987 at the age of 42.

Kara Goucher took third in 2:25:53, becoming the first American to make the podium since Anne Marie Letko was third in 1994. She posted the fastest time in a marathon debut by an American woman, breaking Deena Kastor’s mark set in this race in 2001.

Gomes won in 2:08:43. Goumri settled for the runner-up spot for the second straight year in 2:09:07, and Daniel Rono of Kenya was third in 2:11:22.

Man dies after race

NEW YORK — A Brazilian runner collapsed and died after finishing the New York City Marathon.

Police say 58-year-old Sao Paulo resident Carlos Jose Gomes had just passed the finish line around 4:30 Sunday afternoon when he complained about feeling ill. They say he was taken by ambulance to a Manhattan hospital, where he died shortly after.

No cause of death has been disclosed.

At least two other runners fell ill during the race and had to be hospitalized.

BASEBALL

Amaro takes over Phillies

PHILADELPHIA — Ruben Amaro Jr. will replace Pat Gillick as general manager of World Series champion Philadelphia today.

Amaro just completed his 10th season as assistant GM and was considered the front-runner for the job after Gillick said last year this would be his last season.

The Phillies will introduce Amaro at a news conference today, just five days after the team beat Tampa Bay to capture the second championship in franchise history.

Amaro got the nod over Mike Arbuckle, who spent the last 15 years with the Phillies. Arbuckle was the director of scouting for his first seven seasons in Philadelphia, and became an assistant GM in October 2001.

Amaro, 43, joined the Phillies immediately after his playing career ended in 1998. He worked under former GM Ed Wade for seven seasons and the last three with Gillick.

GOLF

Palmer captures title

PALM COAST, Fla. — Ryan Palmer made a 10-foot birdie on the 18th hole Sunday to break out of a six-way tie for the lead and win the Ginn sur Mer Classic, earning a two-year exemption on the PGA Tour.

Palmer, who was at No. 143 on the money list with two tournaments remaining, had to call a penalty on himself and made bogey on the 10th hole, then took double bogey on the next hole with a tee shot into the water.

But he rebounded with a birdie he desperately needed on the final hole at Ginn Ocean Hammock Resort for his second career victory.

Champions Tour

SONOMA, Calif — Andy Bean breezed through 32 holes of play to win the Charles Schwab Cup Championship, pulling away from the Champions Tour’s best players for a nine-stroke victory over Gene Jones.

After finishing the last 14 holes of the rain-delayed third round, Bean then made six birdies in the first nine holes of a final-round 66 to finish at 20-under 268, blowing away the 29-man field.

Jay Haas also had reason to celebrate after the Champions Tour’s final event of the year despite his 16th-place finish at 4-under 284. Haas claimed the Schwab Cup at Sonoma Golf Club for the second time in three years as the winner of the tour’s season-long points competition.

Bean earned $442,000 from the $2.5 million purse. Haas claimed a $1 million annuity by winning the Schwab Cup.

Haas won the Schwab Cup despite getting no points Sunday after finishing out of the top 10. Fred Funk and Bernhard Langer, his main competition for the crown, also didn’t earn any points.

INCHEON, South Korea — American Candie Kung shot a 3-under 69 on Sunday to win the LPGA Kolon Championship by one shot over Australian Katherine Hull.

Kung, who was born in Taiwan, eagled the ninth hole during a windy third round at Incheon’s Sky 72 Golf Club course. That gave her the cushion she needed when she dropped a shot on the next-to-last hole. The world’s 42nd-ranked player finished at 6-under 210 and collected $240,000 for the win.

Hull, the first-round leader, also had a 69 to bounce back from a poor outing on Saturday, while four golfers were another shot behind tied for third: Lee Jee Young, Jang Jeong and Han Hee Won of South Korea, and Sophie Gustafson of Sweden.