Abdi Nageeye and Sheila Chepkirui showcased remarkable performances to claim victory in the New York City Marathon for the first time on Sunday. Nageeye, hailing from the Netherlands, secured the men's title by outpacing his closest competitor, Evans Chebet, in the final mile, finishing in 2 hours, 7 minutes, and 39 seconds. Chepkirui, a first-time participant in the event, surged ahead of defending champion Hellen Obiri in the women's race to clinch the victory.
Nageeye, who had previously finished third in the 2022 edition of the race, expressed his disbelief at his win, emphasizing his determination and self-belief. Chepkirui, on the other hand, demonstrated her strategic prowess by accelerating in the last stretch to secure the win in 2 hours and 24 minutes.
The Kenyan dominance was evident as Vivian Cheruiyot claimed the third spot in the women's race, marking the first-ever sweep of the women's medal positions by Kenyan athletes. In the men's category, Tamirat Tola, the defending champion and Paris Olympic gold medalist, finished fourth, with Albert Korir closely behind.
The American contingent, led by Conner Mantz and Sara Vaughn, put up strong performances, finishing sixth in both the men's and women's races. Vaughn, who was a late addition to the marathon, showcased resilience despite dropping off the lead pack in the Bronx.
The day also witnessed Daniel Romanchuk dethroning three-time defending champion Marcel Hug in the men's wheelchair race, while Susannah Scaroni claimed victory in the women's wheelchair race. The event marked the inaugural victory for American athletes in both wheelchair categories.
The New York City Marathon, covering a 26.2-mile course through all five boroughs of the city, attracted over 50,000 participants this year. The race, now in its 48th year traversing all boroughs, began in 1970 solely within Central Park.
Following the conclusion of the event, it was announced that the Sydney Marathon would be included as the seventh world major marathon, joining other prestigious races in Berlin, Chicago, Boston, Tokyo, London, and New York. The favorable weather conditions, with temperatures in the lower 40s at the start of the race, provided an ideal setting for the runners, contrasting with the previous year's warmer conditions.
