
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: MONDAY, May 7, 1990                   TAG: 9005070320
SECTION: SPORTS                    PAGE: B4   EDITION: EVENING 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: PITTSBURGH                                LENGTH: Short

FERREIRA WINS DEATH-MARRED MARATHON

Conceicao Ferreira, a Portuguese cross-country runner adapting well to a hilly course and strength-draining humidity, smiled her way to a nearly a wire-to-wire victory in the women's division of the Pittsburgh Marathon.

The men's winner, in one of the few major marathons that spotlights women, was Dick Hooper of Dublin, Ireland, who took over from a fading Agapius Masong of Tanzania at the 21-mile point to outkick runner-up Tom Ekblom of Finland and win by 26 seconds.

The race was marred by two deaths that appeared to be related to heart problems. Allegheny County (Pa.) coroner's officials were investigating the deaths of Jack Niles, 60, of Silver Spring, Md., and Richard D. Hough, 47, of Pittsburgh.

The deaths were the first in the six-year history of the race. Both men were experienced marathon runners, said to David Ellis, the marathon's medical director.

The Allegheny County Coroner's Office planned to perform autopsies today.

"We don't have an exact cause of death, but it appears they were caused by sudden cardiac events," Ellis said Sunday.

by CNB