Mount Airy’s Romanchuk wins 2nd N.Y. wheelchair title

Daniel Romanchuk of the United States repeated as the New York City Marathon men’s wheelchair champion Sunday in another tight finish over Switzerland’s Marcel Hug.

Romanchuk, 21, who grew up in Mount Airy and now lives in Illinois, held off Hug by 1 second for the second straight year, crossing the finish line in 1 hour, 37 minutes and 24 seconds. England’s David Weir and American Aaron Pike were also within 10 seconds.

Last year, Romanchuk became the first American and youngest competitor to win the men’s division as a 20-year-old. He followed with victories this year at the Boston and London marathons. Hug took the New York title in 2016 and 2017.

Born with spina bifida, a spinal cord defect, Romanchuk began taking part in adaptive sports through Kennedy Krieger Institute’s Bennett Blazers in Baltimore at the age of 2. Four years ago, he and his mother Kim moved to Champaign, Ill., so that he could learn from former Paralympian and University of Illinois wheelchair racing coach Adam Bleakney.

Romanchuk, who has already qualified for the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, will travel to Dubai for the World Para

Athletics Championships, beginning on Nov. 7.

Manuela Schar of Switzerland has won her third straight women’s wheelchair title at the New York City Marathon, giving her eight consecutive marathon major victories.

Men’s college soccer: Michigan (9-4-4, 4-1-3 Big Ten) scored two goals early in the second half to come back from a 2-1 deficit and defeat No. 17 Maryland, 4-2, at Ludwig Field. Maryland got its goals in the first half from junior Eric Matzelevich and senior Eli Crognale. The Terps (9-6-2, 3-2-2) head to the Big Ten Tournament quarterfinals as the No. 5 seed where they will face fourth-seeded Northwestern next Sunday.

Horse racing: Laurel Park will host 15 stakes worth $1.45 million in purses on four Saturdays over the duration of the calendar year-ending fall meet, starting with the $100,000 James F. Lewis III for 2-year-olds and $100,000 Smart Halo for 2-year-old fillies Nov. 16. Four $100,000 stakes are scheduled for Nov. 30 – the 1 1/8-mile Richard W. Small and 1 1/16-mile Thirty Eight Go Go for 3-year-olds and up and seven-furlong City of Laurel and Safely Kept for 3-year-olds, the latter for fillies.

The Associated Press contributed to this article.