After a remarkable three-year reign, Marcel Hug's dominance in the men's wheelchair division at the New York Marathon came to an end as Daniel Romanchuk emerged victorious in this year's race. Hug, known as the Silver Bullet, had previously secured 16 consecutive marathon wins, including a gold medal at the Paris Paralympics and a recent triumph at the Chicago Marathon.
In the women's wheelchair race, Susannah Scaroni claimed victory by showcasing her exceptional speed and skill, marking her second win at the New York Marathon after also triumphing in 2022. Notably, this year's event made history as both the men's and women's wheelchair races were won by Americans.
Hug made history last year by becoming the first para-racer to clinch the Abbott World Marathon Majors series title, triumphing in all six major marathons – Tokyo, Boston, London, Berlin, Chicago, and New York.
During Sunday's race, Hug initially led the pack heading into Manhattan but faced challenges and fell behind, with Romanchuk ultimately seizing the lead. A pothole on First Ave. caused some disruptions for the racers, leading to a tight three-way battle between Romanchuk, David Weir, and Tomoki Suzuki in the final mile. Romanchuk, a previous winner in 2018 and 2019, surged ahead to claim victory in 1 hour, 36 minutes, and 31 seconds.
Weir, the 2010 champion and last year's runner-up, finished a close second just 5 seconds behind Romanchuk, while Suzuki secured third place with a time of 1:36:43. Hug crossed the finish line in fourth place, 3 minutes and 38 seconds behind the winner.
Scaroni dominated the women's race, outpacing her competitors and finishing over 10 minutes ahead of the runner-up, Tatyana McFadden, with a time of 1:48:05. Reflecting on her victory, Scaroni expressed her gratitude for the opportunity to compete in New York City and highlighted the favorable conditions that contributed to her success.
Overall, the 2023 New York Marathon showcased thrilling competition and remarkable achievements, with Romanchuk and Scaroni emerging as the deserving champions in the wheelchair divisions.
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