Abdi Nageeye of the Netherlands and Sheila Chepkirui of Kenya emerged victorious in the New York City Marathon, claiming their first ever titles in the iconic race, The Associated Press reports.
Both athletes showcased remarkable strength and determination, pulling away from their closest competitors in the final mile to secure their hard-earned wins.
Nageeye, the first Dutch runner to ever win the men’s race, engaged in a thrilling duel with defending champion Evans Chebet. The two remained neck-and-neck for much of the race before Nageeye unleashed a powerful surge heading into Central Park, ultimately crossing the finish line in 2 hours, 7 minutes, 39 seconds. Chebet finished a mere 6 seconds behind.
Chepkirui, running her first New York City Marathon, made her move in the women’s race, outpacing defending champion Hellen Obiri in the final stretch. The Kenyan runner, who entered the marathon scene in 2022, achieved a remarkable win in 2:24.35. Obiri finished nearly 15 seconds behind.
The women’s race witnessed a historic finish, with Kenya sweeping the podium. Vivian Cheruiyot claimed third place, marking the first time ever that Kenyan runners occupied all three medal positions.
Despite a strong showing from the top American runners, Conner Mantz and Sara Vaughn finished sixth in the men’s and women’s races respectively. Vaughn, who joined the race at the last minute, led the pack heading into Mile 20 before falling back.
The marathon also saw a change of leadership in the men’s wheelchair race. Daniel Romanchuk, who had won in 2018 and 2019, bested three-time defending champion Marcel Hug, claiming his third victory in the race. Susannah Scaroni won the women’s wheelchair race, securing her second New York title and making history as the first time Americans have won both wheelchair races.
The 26.2-mile race, which wound through all five boroughs of New York City, saw a record-breaking number of participants, with over 50,000 runners taking on the challenge. The race, celebrating its 48th year, started in Staten Island and ended in Central Park.
In a significant announcement made after the race, the Sydney Marathon was confirmed as the seventh world major marathon, joining the ranks of Berlin, Chicago, Boston, Tokyo, London, and New York.
