CHICAGO, Oct 12, 2008 (AFP) - Kenya's Evans Cheruiyot made it two marathon triumphs in as many career races Sunday by winning the Chicago Marathon men's title while Russian veteran Lidiya Grigoryeva captured the women's crown.

Cheruiyot won in two hours, six minutes and 25 seconds to head a Kenyan podium sweep. David Mandago, at 33 the eldest runner in the men's field, was second in 2:07:37 with Timothy Cherigat third in 2:11:39.

Cheruiyot made a triumphant marathon debut last year at Milan.

Mandago surged ahead in the 23rd mile but Cheruiyot, 26, stayed within reach and made his move to grab the lead in the 25th mile and claim the victory by 72 seconds, the sixth triumph in a row at Chicago by a Kenyan man.

There was only more heartache for Kenya's Daniel Njenga, ninth in 2:17:33. Njenga has had six podium finishes at Chicago, including a third-place effort in 2007, but has yet to taste victory.

Reigning Rotterdam Marathon champion William Kipsang was eighth, his course record-setting victory in April having given the Kenyan the fastest entry time at Chicago.

Kenya's Emmanuel Mutai, fourth at the London Marathon last April in a personal best 2:06:15, was sixth in 2:15:36.

Grigoryeva, the 2007 Boston Marathon winner, surged ahead of compatriot Alevtina Biktimirova in the 21st mile and won in 2:27:17, defeating runner-up Biktimirova by 2:15 seconds with Japan's Kiyoko Shimahara third in 2:30:19.

Romania's Constantina Tomescu-Dita, the Beijing Olympic women's marathon champion and 2004 Chicago Marathon winner, was fourth in 2:30:57. She became the oldest Olympic marathon champion at age 38 with her August gold in China.

Ethiopia's Berhane Adere, who was bidding for an unprecedented third consecutive women's title, finished 10th in 2:34:16.