Mara Yamauchi is planning a period of rest before preparing in earnest for the Olympic Games this summer.

Yamauchi defeated a world-class field in the prestigious Osaka Ladies International Marathon on Sunday with a world-class time to match.

The 34-year-old Londoner, who is on leave from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office while preparing for the Beijing Games, won in a personal best of two hours 25 minutes and 10 seconds.

It was a performance which saw her become the first Briton to achieve an Olympic 'A' qualifying standard in any event this year, and will almost certainly guarantee her an Olympic place.

Yamauchi is not planning another marathon before Beijing, confident the selectors will name her in the three-woman squad which it will choose after the Flora London Marathon on April 13.

"It hasn't really sunk in yet that I actually won the race," Yamauchi said.

"Last year I finished in the minor positions in races so many times, that I started to doubt that I would ever win a major race.

"But my training went well and I knew this was a race I could win if I ran it sensibly.

"So I tried to run a good tactical race and it paid off."

Yamauchi had the advantage of knowing the Osaka course where last summer she finished ninth at the World Championships, after setting the early pace before fading.

"I felt much stronger in the second half than I have ever done in marathons before which also gives me confidence," said Yamauchi, fully fit after a pre-Christmas setback.

"I had a foot niggle in November and a cold during my build-up, so I know that if I can steer clear of any problems, I can have a better build-up for Beijing and hopefully go into the Olympics stronger than I am now."

Yamauchi is now the country's second-fastest woman over the distance behind Paula Radcliffe, and she believes that now she has attained world-class status she can continue to improve.

"I know there is still a gap between the really top runners and me," said Yamauchi.

"But to win a major international marathon is very special.

"Now I'm going to celebrate, have a good rest and then start building up my training again."

Sporting Life / Eurosport