Keitany, Desisa win in NYC

NEW YORK: Mary Keitany, of Kenya, and Lelisa Desisa, of Ethiopia, have won the New York City Marathon.

Keitany dominated the strong women’s field for her fourth victory in the event, while Desisa surged clear of two other men near the finish line to secure his first win in New York.

Desisa (28) held off countryman Shura Kitata by 1.99sec to add to victories at the Boston Marathon in 2013 and 2015. He finished in 2hr 5min 59sec, the secondfastest time for the course.

Last year’s winner, Geoffrey Kamworor of Kenya, finished third.

‘‘This is my dream,’’ Desisa said. ‘‘To be a champion.’’

Keitany (36) became the second woman to win the marathon four times — Norwegian Grete Waitz claimed nine victories from 197888.

Keitany won in 2014, 2015 and 2016. She ran the race in 2:22.48, the secondfastest time for the course.

‘‘I can say the course record was not in my mind,’’ she said. ‘‘For me, winning was very important.’’

She beat countrywoman Vivian Cheruiyot by more than three minutes and American Shalane Flanagan was third.

Daniel Romanchuk became the first American to win the men’s wheelchair division when he saw off the challenge of Switzerland’s Marcel Hug. David Weir, of Britain, was third.

Manuela Schar, of Switzerland, repeated as the winner of the women’s wheelchair division. American Tatyana McFadden finished second and Lihong Zou, of China, third. — AP