Obiri sets women’s NYC Marathon course record, Kipruto wins men’s race by a fraction of a second

NEW YORK (AP) — The New York City Marathon made history on Sunday with a course record set in the women’s competition and the closest race ever on the men’s side, which was decided by a fraction of a second.

Hellen Obiri of Kenya broke the women’s record while compatriot Benson Kipruto won the men’s race by edging Alexander Mutiso by three-hundredths of a second.

Obiri, who also won the race in 2023, finished in 2 hours, 19 minutes and 51 seconds. She was running with 2022 winner Sharon Lokedi until Obiri pulled away from her countrymate in the final mile, surging ahead and winning easily by 16 seconds to best the previous course record of 2:22.31 set by Margaret Okayo in 2003.

“It feels so great. … I am so happy to run the course record,” Obiri said. “With 1K to go I felt like I was so strong. I have something left in my tank.”

Defending champion Sheila Chepkirui finished third. All three beat the previous course best on a beautiful day for running, with temperatures in the 50s Fahrenheit when the race started.

Kipruto and Mutiso separated themselves from the chase pack in the men’s race heading into Mile 24. Kipruto seemed to have put the race away, pulling away from Mutiso in the last 200 meters. But Mutiso, who also is from Kenya, wasn’t done, surging in the last 50 meters before falling just short. Kipruto, who was running the New York race for the first time, finished in 2:08.40. That finish topped the 2005 race that was decided by a second.

“I was aware that Mutiso was behind,” said Kipruto, who also has won the Boston, Chicago and Tokyo marathons. “It was so close and I knew because I know Mutiso is a strong guy.”

Albert Korir, who won in 2021, was third, giving Kenya a sweep of the top three spots in both the men’s and women’s races. Joel Reichow was the top American, coming in sixth.

Eliud Kipchoge, who turns 41 next week, wrapped up a historic run as one of the most accomplished marathoners in the sport. Kipchoge, who has won 11 major world marathons, finished 17th in his first time running NYC.

On the women’s side, the trio of former champions separated themselves heading into the Bronx at Mile 20. American Fiona O’Keeffe and Dutch runner Sifan Hassan had made it a pack of five once the group entered Manhattan a few miles earlier but couldn’t hang on for the final 6 miles.

This was the first time that the previous three women’s winners had been in the same race since 2018. The trio didn’t disappoint, putting forth stellar efforts. It was the second straight year that Kenyans took the top three spots.

O’Keeffe finished fourth, breaking the American course record as she finished in 2:22.49.

“Really exciting. I can’t take too much credit for the time, that was all on the women ahead of me,” O’Keeffe said. “Grateful to be back in the marathon. Feels like coming home.”

Fellow American Annie Frisbie finished fifth as four of the top nine finishers were from the U.S. Hassan, who won the Sydney Marathon two months ago, was sixth.

The 26.2-mile course took runners through all five boroughs of New York, starting in Staten Island and ending in Manhattan’s Central Park. This is the 49th year the race has been in all five boroughs. Before that, the route was completely in Central Park. The first race had only 55 finishers while a record 55,642 people finished last year, the largest in the history of the sport until the London Marathon broke it earlier this year.

Wheelchair success

Marcel Hug and Susannah Scaroni both won the wheelchair races in dominant fashion. Hug, known as the Silver Bullet, has now won this marathon seven times. He finished 3:52 ahead of second-place finisher David Weir. Scaroni defended her title and was victorious for the third time in four years. She crossed the finish line 5:43 ahead of second-place finisher Tatyana McFadden, who won the race five times.

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