New York (AFP) – Kenya’s Benson Kipruto held off a thrilling late charge from Alexander Mutiso to win the closest New York Marathon finish in history on Sunday, while compatriot Hellen Obiri smashed the course record to win the women’s race.
Kipruto took the tape in two hours, eight minutes and nine seconds to add the New York title to his previous major marathon wins in Boston, Chicago, and Tokyo. Mutiso, the 2024 London Marathon winner, finished just 0.16 seconds behind his compatriot after a gripping duel over the final mile. Kipruto looked to have done just enough to lead by several metres as the finish line loomed into view in Central Park. However, Mutiso kicked for home in a sprint finish and was just fractionally behind Kipruto as he took the tape.
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“The last part was so hard, but I was giving myself morale, saying ‘Come on you, you can win it, come on’,” Kipruto said after his victory. “I was pushing so hard to make sure I win.” Kenya’s Albert Korir, the 2021 New York winner, was third in 2:08:57. Kenyan great Eliud Kipchoge, in what is expected to be his last major marathon appearance, finished 17th in 2:14:36.
In the women’s race, meanwhile, Kenya’s Obiri produced a devastating late kick to power to victory in a new course record time. Obiri, the 2023 New York winner, pulled away from compatriot Sharon Lokedi with just under a mile to go to cross in 2:19:51. Obiri’s time obliterated the 22-year-old course record of 2:22:31 set by Kenya’s Margaret Okayo in 2003. Lokedi, the New York winner in 2022, finished second in 2:20:07, while last year’s winner Sheila Chepkirui was third in 2:20:24. The top three finishers were all under Okayo’s old course record.
“Amazing, it was a very good run for me,” Obiri said afterwards. “We had a very strong field, and I said to myself ‘let me try to do my best.’ In my mind, I said to myself to be patient. I knew Sharon was there and she has won the New York Marathon before. I said ‘Can I be the first one to win here?'” Dutch star Sifan Hassan, the reigning Olympic marathon champion, was sixth in 2:24:43.
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