New York City Marathon: Tamirat Tola sets men’s record as Hellen Obiri takes women’s title
The women's race had 11 runners which included American pair Kellyn Taylor and Molly Huddle, who were both racing after giving birth to their daughters in 2022; Kenya's Brigid Kosgei, who finished fourth
Last Updated: 05/11/23 9:31pm
Ethiopia's Tamirat Tola set a course record to win the New York City Marathon men's race on Sunday while Kenya's Hellen Obiri cliched a narrow victory to take the women's title.
Tola finished in 2:04:58 topping the 2:05:06 set by Geoffrey Mutai in 2011.
The 32-year-old pulled away from his compatriot Jemal Yimer when the pair were heading towards the Bronx at mile 20, but a mile later when he was headed back into Manhattan, Tola was up by 19s and chasing Mutai's record.
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The winner of the men's race was decided in the last few miles but for the women's event it came down to the final 400 metres.
Obiri, Ethopia's Letesenbet Gidey and defending champion Sharon Lokedi, took turns in the lead but it was Obiri - who won the Boston Marathon in April - that made a sprint when they headed back into Central Park for the final half-mile and finished in 2:27:23. Gidey finished in second place, six seconds behind Obiri and Sharon Lokedi in third.
The women's race had 11 runners which included American pair Kellyn Taylor and Molly Huddle, who were both racing after giving birth to their daughters in 2022.
The duo were in the lead pack for the first 20 miles but then fell behind and finished in eighth and ninth place respectively.
When the lead group headed back into Manhattan for the final few miles, Obiri, Gidey and Lokedi pushed the pace and further distanced themselves from Kenya's Brigid Kosgei, who finished fourth.
