Moises Requena of Mexico and Roxie Erickson of the United States took full advantage of a Russian collapse yesterday to capture the men's and women's divisions of the Bermuda Marathon.

In one of the biggest fold-ups in race history, Edward Toukbatulin surrendered the lead he held for almost 21 miles opening the door for Requena to emerge as champion in the final five miles.

Requena clocked 2:24.22 -- setting a new course record -- and produced the best finish in the race since Russian Vladimir Kotov was timed in 2:17 on the old course in 1990.

Toukbatulin eventually slipped to fourth place, plunging quicker than a peso, and clocked 2:28.53 allowing fellow Russians Alexander Kuftyrev (2:25.12) and Gusman Abdullin (2:26) to finish ahead of him.

So dejected was Toukbatulin that afterwards he sneered at an interview request and tossed a bottle cap at a reporter.

Not surprisingly, Requena's spirits were much higher as he found shelter in Number Six Shed following the race. Not even his translator -- Denice Dane -- was needed to interpret the large smile on his face when he was asked how it felt to win his first marathon. He also won $3,000 for being champion.

"I'm very happy,'' said Requena, who often seemed to be struggling in the early portions of the race. Even after he had taken the lead and pulled 200 metres ahead of Toukbatulin at Barker's Hill, Requena looked more like a boxer punching the wind than a graceful runner.

"I didn't want to run too fast, I wanted to go a slow, steady pace,'' Requena said. "(Toukbatulin) ran very quickly in the first part I didn't want to go ahead or attack until the right moment.'' Tatania Ivanova, also of Russia, led the women's field for 18 miles until a pair of spunky Americans, former champion Kim Goff and Erickson, seized the lead.

Erickson, who finished ninth in the Disney Marathon just a week ago, crossed the finish line in tears in 2:46.48 while Goff raised her arms triumphantly after grabbing second spot in 2:48.20. Ivanova, with a look of disappointment etched on her face, was third in 2:55.57.

First Bermuda male and a solid seventh overall was Rod Allen in 2:44.08 while his sister Kim Mason became women's champion for the second year in a row when she completed the race in 3:31.54, improving on her winning time of 3:54.31 from 1994. She was also fourth overall in the women's field.

"That Russian gal, she just tore out of here and I figured I was battling for second or third and then all of a sudden at 18 miles Kim said `there's (Ivanova)','' said Erickson, munching on a cinnamon bun.

"That gave me a burst of energy so Kim and I ran together to 21 (miles) and then I just put in another burst at the end.'' Erickson, who is from Omaha, Nebraska, added: `I'm just like a nobody, I just started running really strong two years ago. But I'm really excited now.'' The red-haired Goff, wearing her "lucky'' chain with a golden track shoe hanging from it, produced her best time of the three occasions she's competed in the race.

When she won it in 1993 she clocked 2:54.55 and last year she finished fourth in 2:53.05.

"People were focussed on the Russian girl, which is what always seems to happen,'' said Goff. "When there's Russians here we kind of take second seat and a lot of the other women do, too.

"I think (Ivanova) took off a little too quick,'' she added. "It's an advantage to me that I know the course and I ran conservative the first half.

In the end Roxie just had more power than I did.'' Later she added: "The crowd support is tremendous here, it's second to none.

The people are great and I feel a lot of people know me out there.'' Mason, whose pre-race strategy involved three bottles of champagne, said being relaxed during the first part of the race paid off handsomely. Mason was greeted by Erickson when she crossed the finish line.

"Roxie's staying with me and we had three bottles of champagne,'' said Mason.

"A cheap one if we didn't do well, a more expensive one if we sort of placed and a really expensive one if we won.'' Late yesterday Mason uncorked the $87 bottle to toast her victory with Erickson. It was also believed the two other bottles were also opened. Mason, meantime, won $500 for being the first Bermuda woman to cross the finish line.

Allen also pocketed $500, and he seemed elated that the race was finally over.

"I've still got it,'' he said with a smile. "I had a plan and I tried to keep to it and it went well. This is definitely one of my best, this is my fastest marathon for ten years, so I'm really pleased.'' Later he said: "There was no way I was going to pack it in even if I had to walk. I was slowing down the last mile, last half mile, and when I saw the finish even then I felt `can I make it'. It was that close.'' Kuftyrev admitted that he considered pulling out of the race after the first 30 kilometres, but was focussed on winning $2,000 prize for finishing second.

"I was inspired by money,'' he admitted through his translator. "Of course we cannot neglect the fact how important prize money is, especially in our country where the level of wages is so low.'' Second local male to cross the finish line was Errol Cormack in 2:47.29 while Debbie Lloyd was second Bermuda woman to finish.

THREE CHEERS -- Moises Requena of Mexico earned the adulation of some local running fans after he pulled ahead with five miles to go in yesterday's Marathon.

BATTLE CRY -- Roxie Erickson was full of emotion only seconds before crossing the finish line yesterday to become the new women's champion of the Marathon.