New York Marathon: Priscah Jeptoo recovers for Big Apple victory
Kenya's Priscah Jeptoo produced a remarkable recovery in New York to win the city's marathon on Sunday
Last Updated: 03/11/13 8:43pm
The 29-year-old trailed by almost three minutes at the half-way point but fought back to take the lead two miles from the end and post a time of two hours, 25 minutes and seven seconds.
Earlier in 2013 Jeptoo was also victorious at the London Marathon and her victory this weekend earned her a $500,000 bonus for clinching the World Marathon Majors title as well.
Jeptoo was a silver medallist at the London Olympics, and also second at the World Championships in South Korea in 2011.
Ethiopean Buzunesh Deba, who lives in the Bronx, led for much of the race before finishing runner-up for the second straight year.
She finished 49 seconds adrift of Jeptoo, while Latvian Jelena Prokopcuka was third a further one minute and 51 seconds behind.
African runners filled the top five spots in the men's race which was won by another Kenyan - Geoffrey Mutai.
Mutai's time of two hours, eight minutes and 24 seconds bettered that of runner-up Tsegaye Kebede of Ethiopia by 52 seconds.
It was Mutai's second straight triumph in New York.
From a British perspective, Toby Spencer (45th) was the leading man in two hours, 33 minutes and 34 seconds, while Ruth Senior (58th) was the top women (3:03:04).
The 26.2-mile race returned after a one-year absence, having been cancelled in 2012 because of the destruction caused by Hurricane Sandy.
Security was also heightened at the event following April's bombings at the Boston Marathon.
Around 47,000 runners took part in the race that covered five boroughs and required 1,500 security cameras.
