36 • November 11, 2021 - November 17, 2021
THE NEW YORK AMSTERDAM NEWS
Sports The TCS NYC Marathon returns as well as Kenya’s dominance By VINCENT DAVIS Special to the AmNews
(Bill Moore photo)
Peres Jepchirchir, 28, won this year’s race in 2:22:39. Viola Cheptoo, 32, took second in 02:22:44. The TCS New York Ababel Yeshaneh Birhane of EthioCity Marathon repia came in third in 02:09:52. turned for its 50th anJepchirchir, the gold medalist in niversary on Sunday the marathon at this past summer’s after being cancelled Tokyo Olympics, broke away from last year resulting Cheptoo and Birhane in the final from the COVID panmile in her first time running the demic. The number NYC Marathon. of runners was re“I have a finishing kick,” said Jeduced from the pchirchir. “The way I used to train normal 50,000s to in Kenya, I trained harder near the the low 30,000s for end of my programs.” COVID precautionCheptoo shared how she sought ary reasons, yet the a dvic e fro m Keit any, who in ad 26.2 mile race still dition to four w in s in New Yo rk had the same energy, an d w o n AM NEWS finish e d s e co n d t w ice01414 human interest stoth e b ron ze t w o t imes. “She gave AM NE 10/07/21 ries and spirit the me0a few t ips o n how to r un10/07/ t he 7 74470 22784 world’s biggest marN YC Marat ho n ,” said Chep to o. Peres Jepchirchir of Kenya (center) and Australia’s Madison de Rozario took home gold on athon always generL ike Jep chichir, it was Chep to o’s Sunday, winning the women’s elite and wheelchair divisions respectively at the NYC Marathon ates. N YC debut. Beginning in Staten American Molly Seidel placed Island at the Verrazano-Narrows petitors have to cross five bridges Following in the footsteps of the fourth in 02:24:42. Australian MadBridge and ending at Tavern On and tough city hills. Also resuming great Mary Keitany, the four-time ison de Rozario, a 2020 Tokyo the Green in Central Park, the race, was the dominance of Kenyan run- NYC champion (2014, 2015, 2016, Summer Paralympics gold AM NEWS 01424medalAM NE which goes through all five bor- ners with a first and second show- 2018) from Kenya who retired last ist, won the women’s wheelchair 10/14/21 10/14/ 0 oughs, is a difficult course as com- ing in the women’s division. year due to hip problems, Kenyan division in 1:51:01. 7 74470 22784
Korir and Hug capture men’s titles at the 50th TCS NYC Marathon
ment technician, Kibet, who became a U.S. citAM NEWS 01434 izen in 2013, competes AM NE for the U.S. Army World 10/21/21 10/21/ 0 7 Class Athlete Program. 74470 22784 In the men’s wheelchair race, Switzerland’s Marcel Hug garnered his fourth NYC Marathon title, adding Sunday’s gold AM NEWS medal to 01444 his wins in AM NE 10/28/21 2013, 2016 and 2017. 10/28/ 0 7 74470 22784 The 35-year-old came across the line in 1:31:24, convincingly besting runner up David Weir (1:38:01) of the United Kingdom, the 2010 NYC AM NEWS 01454 Marathon champiAM NE 11/04/21 on. Two-time (2018, 11/04/ 0 7 74470 22784 2019) NYC winner After finishing second at the 2019 TCS NYC Marathon, Kenya’s Albert Korir, pictured in the middle, Daniel Romanchuk of clocked 2:08:22 to capture his first NYC Marathon title on Sunday. Switzerland’s Marcel Hug won the United States sehis fourth NYC Marathon championship. cured third in 1:38:22. ment helped him maintain a pace third in 2:09:52. Kenyan native Elkanah of 4:54 per mile. Kibet, an alumnus of Auburn UniversiMorocco’s Mohamed El Aaraby reg- ty, recorded his fastest marathon time in AM NEWS 01464 AM NE istered 2:09:06 for second and Eritre- clocking 2:11:15 to come in11/11/21 fourth, the 11/11/ 0 7 an born Eyob Faniel, who became a highest placing for an American man 74470 22784 naturalized Italian citizen in 2015 and in this year’s Marathon. Currently servrepresents the country in races, placed ing in the Army as a financial manage(Bill Moore photo)
By JAIME C. HARRIS AmNews Sports Editor Albert Korir had a keen understanding of what was required of him to win the 50th anniversary staging of the 26.2-mile TCS New York City Marathon this past Sunday. He had come close in 2019, the last time the event was held after being cancelled last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, finishing second—2:08:13 to 2:08:36—to his Kenyan countrymen Geoffrey Kamworor. Two years later the 27-year-old Korir was laser-focused and flawlessly executed his plan. He reserved overconfidence in respecting the talented field of elite competitors and strategically traversed the five-borough course. Korir separated himself from his closest challengers in Mile 20 and remained ahead of the pack for the last six miles. When he broke the tape in 2:08:22, Korir could not contain the jubilation of victory, thrusting his right fist toward the sparkling sky above Central Park. “I didn’t imagine that I would win today,” he said. “This journey began three months ago, when I knew that I would be running the New York City Marathon. This was all a result of my hard training...” Korir’s regi-
