Kenya’s Geoffrey Kamworor won the New York City Marathon men’s title on Sunday — his first victory over the distance — while Shalane Flanagan became the first American to win the women’s title in 40 years.
Two years after finishing second, Kamworor held off compatriot Wilson Kipsang to win in a time (unofficial) of 2:10:53s. Kipsang, the 2014 champion, was three seconds behind, and Ethiopia’s Lelisa Desisa third in 2:11:32.
Kamworor, 24, was in only his seventh marathon. He was second in 2015 to Kenyan Stanley Biwott after being overtaken late in the race.
Kipsang, 35, had won in Tokyo earlier this year and raced in September’s Berlin Marathon but quit after 30km.
Coming just five days after the Manhattan truck attack which left eight people dead, expanded security lined the route of the world-famous race, which saw an estimated 50,000 runners from more than 125 nations compete across the streets of the Big Apple.
Flanagan, who not did run this year’s Boston Marathon due to a back injury, captured her first major world marathon crown in 2:26:53 (unofficial).
Kenya’s Mary Keitany, who was chasing her fourth consecutive New York victory, took second, 61 seconds behind, with Ethiopia’s Mamitu Daska third in 2:28:08.
Before Flanagan, 36, the last person to win New York was Miki Gorman in 1977.
Flanagan, the 2010 runner-up, was sixth in last year’s Rio Olympics marathon. She was the 10,000m runner-up at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.