Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
N.Y. City Marathon
Mary Keitany (above left) of Kenya and Lelisa Desisa (above right) of Ethiopia won the New York City Marathon, with Keitany dominating the strong women’s field for her fourth victory in the event and Desisa surging ahead of two other runners near the finish line.
NEW YORK — Mary Keitany of Kenya and Lelisa Desisa of Ethiopia won the New York City Marathon on Sunday, with Keitany dominating the strong women’s field for her fourth victory in the event and Desisa surging ahead of two other runners near the finish line.
Desisa, 28, held off countryman Shura Kitata by 1.99 seconds for his first win in New York, joining victories at the Boston Marathon in 2013 and 2015. He finished second in New York in 2014 and third in 2015 and 2017.
Desisa finished in 2 hours, 5 minutes, 59 seconds, the second fastest time for the course in history. Geoffrey Mutai of Kenya set the record of 2:05:05 in 2011. Last year’s winner, Geoffrey Kamworor of Kenya, finished third on Sunday.
“This is my dream,” Desisa said. “To be a champion.”
Keitany, 36, became the second woman to win the marathon four times. She ran the race in 2:22:48, the second fastest time for the course in history. Margaret Okayo of Kenya set the record of 2:22:31 in 2003.
Keitany won in 2014, 2015 and 2016 before coming in second last year to American Shalane Flanagan. She joined Grete Waitz, a Norwegian who won the marathon nine times between 19781988, as the only women to win the marathon four times.
“I can say the course record was not in my mind,” Keitany said. “For me, winning was very important.”
She beat countrywoman Vivian Cheruiyot by 3 minutes, 13 seconds.
Flanagan finished third. The United States had four women finish in the top 10: Molly Huddle was fourth, Desiree Linden was sixth and Allie Kieffer was seventh.
Four American men also finished in the top 10: Jared Ward was sixth, Scott Fauble was seventh, Shadrack Biwott was ninth and Chris Derrick was tenth.