American Shalane Flanagan has written her name in the history books, for being the first American woman since 1977 to win the New York City Marathon, beating a field that included usual winners from Kenya. However, Kenyan Geoffrey Kamworor won the men’s race by 3 seconds Sunday in the New York City Marathon.
The last American woman to win the marathon was Miki Gorman, who won consecutive titles in 1976 and 1977. Flanagan defeated three-time NYC Marathon champ Mary Keitany, who came in second place 1 minute later. “It’s indescribable,” Flanagan, 36, said of her win. “It’s a moment I’m trying to soak up and savour.”
She finished the race in 2 hours, 26 minutes and 53 seconds. The men’s race was a bit closer, with 3 seconds separating Kamworor from fellow Kenyan Wilson Kipsang. Kamworor, 24, finished the race in 2 hours, 10 minutes and 53 seconds. Kamworor finished in second place in 2015, his first year to run the full NYC Marathon. He also is a two-time champion in the half marathon.
The New York Citry Marathon kicked off Sunday morning under the watchful eye of the city’s police department days after a truck drove into people on a bike path, killing eight people in Manhattan. The 26.2-mile race snaked through all five boroughs of the city and included more than 50,000 runners.
The New York Police Department said it has received no credible threat to the race.
“New York said strongly we’re not giving into terrorists,” New York mayor Bill de Blaise said, adding, “That’s the message we’re sending to the whole world.”
