Kenyan, Ethiopian runners claim NYC Marathon in record-setting day
Ethiopian Tamirat Tola won the 2023 New York Marathon on Sunday, setting a new course record in men’s race while Hellen Obiri, of Kenya, won a thriller on the women’s side as she outraced Ethiopian Letesenbey Gidey to the finish line.
It was Tola’s first New York Marathon, which the world-champion distance runner finished in 2:04:58, according to the official results posted to X.
Tola’s time was the best in the history of the race, and it broke Geoffrey Mutai’s 2011 record of 2:05:06.
Meanwhile, on the women’s side, it was Obiri’s first victory in New York after the 33-year-old runner finished sixth in 2022. This time, she won the race in 2:27:23, as Gidey was hot on her heels but still five seconds back at 2:27:29.
About 50,000 athletes competed in the race as thousands more spectators lined the winding course through New York City’s five boroughs before crossing the finish line in Central Park.
The top three American male runners were Futsum Zienasellassie, 2:12:09; Elkanah Kibet, 2:12:23; and Sydney Gidabuday,
2:14:34.
The top three American women to finish the race were Kellyn Taylor,
2:29:48; Molly Huddle,
2:32:02; and Sydney Devore, 2:36:01.
ETC.
Gymnastics: Simone Biles delivered a near flawless floor exercise to wrap up her record eighth all-around U.S. gymnastics title at San Jose, Calif.
Biles set the U.S. mark by breaking a tie with Alfred Jochim, who won seven men’s titles in a run that ended in the 1930s.
Biles’ overall score of 118.450 included a 15.400 on her floor routine and was well ahead of overall runner-up Shi Jones (114.550) and Leanne Wong (111.100), who finished in third. Jones was second at last year’s world championships.
Tennis: Novak Djokovic faced a series of challenges throughout the week at the Rolex Paris Masters, but he had an easier time Sunday, dispatching Grigor Dimitrov of Bulgaria 6-4, 6-3 to win his seventh title in the event. He also became the first player to win 40 Masters 1000 tournament championships. Djokovic, the world No. 1, has won 18 straight matches since losing to Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz in the final at Wimbledon . ... At the Moselle Open, Pierre-Hugues Herbert won his first tour singles match since February 2022 when he defeated fellow Frenchman Arthur Cazaux 7-6 (9-7), 6-4 in the first round in Metz, France . ... Fifth-seeded American Jessica Pegula cruised to a 6-2, 6-1 sweep of third-seeded countrywoman Coco Gauff late Saturday to punch her ticket to the final of the WTA Finals in Cancun, Mexico. Pegula defeated Gauff, her doubles partner, in exactly one hour. She will go for the title against No. 1 seed Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus or Polish No. 2 seed Iga Swiatek.
Golf: Irishman Padraig
Harrington used a torrid start to his final round to run away with the TimberTech Championship title at Boca Raton. Harrington birdied six of his first seven holes en route to a final-round, 7-under 64. At 16-under 197 for the weekend, Harrington posted a whopping seven-shot victory at the Old Course at Broken Sound. Germany’s Bernhard Langer — who won last year’s event by six strokes — posted a finalround 70 and tied for second
Olympics: Flag football would make its Olympics debut in the 2028 Games at Los Angeles if the local organizing committee’s request is granted. LA28 announced its list of five events it hopes to host in addition to those scheduled for the 2024 Games in Paris. Along with flag football, LA28 is seeking to reinstate baseball/softball, cricket and lacrosse and introduce squash. Baseball and softball were more recently contested in the Olympics in 2021 at Tokyo, but they will not return in Paris.