The elite men’s race at the New York City Marathon was decided by a photo finish as Kenya’s Benson Kipruto beat compatriot Alexander Mutiso by less than a second in a thrilling sprint for the line.
In the women’s race, Hellen Obiri shattered the 22-year course record, finding a brilliant final kick to come out on top ahead of Sharon Lokedi and win the race for the second time in a high-quality field.
The great Eliud Kipchoge, a former world record holder and two-time Olympic champion, finished 17th on his New York debut. The 40-year-old completed his six-star set of Major Marathon finishes, in what could be his final competitive marathon before turning to other challenges.
In an all-time finish to the men’s race, Kipruto looked to have pulled away from Mutiso with 200m to go. But as he lifted his arms as he approached the tape, Kipruto realised that Mutiso had closed the gap in a desperate late dash.
Victory was awarded to Kipruto by two hundredths of a second, with the Kenyan finishing with a time of two hours, eight minutes and nine seconds to add the New York title to previous major titles in Boston, Chicago and Tokyo. “It was amazing. The last part was so hard,” Kipruto said. “I was pushing so hard to make sure I win.”
Albert Korir finished third to complete a top-three for Kenya, with Great Britain’s Patrick Dever in fourth on his New York debut. Dever’s time of 2:08:58, once confirmed, would put the Preston Harriers runner into tenth on the all-time British list.
Obiri lined up next to two fellow former New York champions in Sharon Lokedi and Sheila Chepkirui, as well as the Olympic champion Sifan Hassan, but pulled away to break Margaret Okayo’s 2003 record with the fastest women’s marathon ever in New York.
Obiri and Lokedi went into the final stretch level, but surged clear to finish in 2:19:51. In the end, the top three of Obiri, Lokedi and Chepkirui finished inside Okayo’s previous course record of 2:22:31, with Obiri winning a bonus of $50,000.
"We had a very strong field," Obiri said. "(I told myself) let me try to do my best, let me push."
Olympic champion Hassan was dropped by the leading Kenyan trio with eight kilometres to go, and finished sixth behind the American pair of Fiona O’Keeffe and Annie Frisbee. Great Britain’s Jess Warner-Judd was seventh on her New York debut.
In the elite wheelchair races, Marcel Hug and Susannah Scaroni successfully defend their titles.
Elite men's results
1. Benson Kipruto - 2:08:09
2. Alexander Mutiso - 2:08:09
3. Albert Korir - 2:08:57
4. Patrick Dever - 2:08.58
5. Matthias Kyburz - 2:09:55
6. Joel Reichow - 2:09.56
7. Charles Hicks - 2:09:59
8. Sondre Norastad Moen - 2:1:15
9. Tsegay Weldilbanos - 2:10:36
10. Joe Klecker - 2:10:37
11, Daniola Meucci - 2:10:40
12. Hillary Bor - 2:10:47
13. Abbabiya Simbassa - 2:10:53
14. Abel Kipchumba - 2:13:06
15. Colin Bennie - 2:12:35
16. Emmanual Levisse - 2:13:05
17. Eliud Kipchoge - 2:14:36
18. Yudai Fukada - 2:14:51
Elite women's results
1. Hellen Obiri - 2:19:51 (CR)
2. Sharon Lokedi - 2:20:07
3. Sheila Chepkirui - 2:20:24
4. Fiona O’Keefee - 2:22:49
5. Annie Frisbee - 2:24:12
6. Sifan Hassan - 2:24:43
7. Jessica Warner-Judd - 2:24:45
8. Emily Sisson - 2:25:05
9. Amanda Vestri - 2:25:40
Men's wheelchair results
1. Marcel Hug - 1:30:16
2. David Weir - 1:34:09
3, Tomoki Suzuki - 1:36:28
4. Jetze Plat - 1:38:46
5. Evan Correll - 1:40:07
6. Miguel Jiminez Vergara - 1:43.02
7. Sho Watanbe - 1:43:33
8. Joshua Cassidy - 1:43:38
9. Johnboy Smith - 1:44:22
Women's wheelchair results
1. Susannah Scaroni - 1:42:10
2. Tatyana McFadden - 1:47:54
3. Cathonne Debrunner - 1:47:56
4. Manuela Schar - 1:50:03
5. Hoda Elshorbagy - 1:57:46
6. Tsubasa Nakamina - 1:59:28
7. Ebony Rainbow-Cooper - 1:59:30
8. Vanessa de Souza - 1:59:38
9. Patricia Eachus - 2:00:13
Eliud Kipchoge reveals crazy new challenge after final major marathon in New York
Marathon world record holder handed three-year doping ban, but time allowed to stand
Sabastian Sawe on the marathon world record and why it’s ’the worst moment ever to run very fast’
What’s a Six Star Medal? Eliud Kipchoge set for glory at New York City Marathon
Sprinter’s doping ban upheld after ‘Gatorade gummies’ defence falls flat
