London Marathon

Marcelino Crisanto knows something about waiting for the right moment to make a move. During the inaugural Goodyear Orange County Marathon Sunday, Crisanto did precisely that, taking the lead with three miles left and holding off all challengers to win in 2 hours 15 minutes 58 seconds. Crisanto, 26, who lives in Toluca, Mexico, finished the 26.2-mile marathon almost a full minute ahead of countryman Gumercindo Olmendo , who was second in 2:16.40. Rich McCandless, of Hayward, Calif.

The death of a 39-year-old runner in the London Marathon may lead to a coroner's inquest, even if an autopsy confirms he died of natural causes. Robert Ward died of an apparent heart attack Sunday while running to raise money for a hospital cancer unit. The death was the first in the 10-year history of the London Marathon, dampening enthusiasm over the fact that a world record 24,871 finished. Scotsman Allister Hutton won in a comparatively fast 2 hours 10 minutes, 10 seconds.

Prize money for next year's Los Angeles Marathon will increase from $202,520 to $366,250, race president Bill Burke announced Tuesday. It's believed the increased purse will make the L.A. Marathon's prize money the largest anywhere. The London Marathon purse is $364,890, the Boston purse is $350,000 and the New York City Marathon's purse is $302,000. The men's and women's winners of the 1991 L.A. Marathon will each earn $50,000, with second place worth $25,000 and third place $20,000.

Kenyan Douglas Wakiihuri put on a burst of speed in the final 300 yards and beat Australia's Steve Moneghetti and longtime rival Ahmed Salah of Djibouti in the London Marathon. Wakiihuri, the 1987 world champion and the silver medalist at the Seoul Olympics, ran the 26-mile, 385-yard course in 2 hours 9 minutes 3 seconds, edging Moneghetti by three seconds. Salah was six seconds behind Wakiihuri. Veronique Marot of England was the first women's finisher, in 2:25:56, making her the seventh-fastest women's marathoner in history.

Rob de Castella of Australia withdrew from today's London Marathon because of a sore knee.

Ian Thompson will get to Blackheath, London, early today for the start of the ninth London Marathon because he wants to be sure of a bad position. When the gun fires over the vast assembly of fun runners at the back of the field, the former Commonwealth and European champion will wait on the line until the last tail-coated waiter, pancake tosser and pantomime horse has trotted off towards Westminster. He will then attempt to overtake 20,000 people. It is his idea of fun. Thompson intends to set a record and raise a tidy sum for charity, but today's task is primarily part of a boosting up process before he concentrates his mind on serious business later this year.