LONDON. Apr 3: World champion Manuela Machado is a surprise starter in next week's London marathon, reports AP.

Organisers announced Thursday that the Portuguese had made a late decision to run a spring marathon and has chosen to return to London on April 13 where she will take on defending champion Liz McCol-gan of Britain.

Machado last raced in London in 1995 when, as race favourite, she made all the running but in the closing stages was outrun by the little fancied Pole. Malgorzata Sobanska. who won by ten seconds.

Later that year, though. Machado won the World Championship in Gothenburg and recorded a second in the New York marathon.

"Manuela is one of the most experienced and successful female marathon runners and I believe she will relish the tough competition we have assembled for this year's race," international race director David Bedford said.

"The addition of the world champion is good news for everyone concerned and she certainly adds an extra competi-. Uv? dimension to the race."

TODAY'S MATCHES

Second Division Football league

(Venue: Dhaka Stadium)

Shantinagar Club vs Little Friends Club (5:30 pm)

Dhaka Wanderers Club vs City Club (4:30)