Sports

The TCS NYC Marathon returns as well as Kenya’s dominance

By VINCENT DAVIS Special to the AmNews

The TCS New York City Marathon returned for its 50th anniversary on Sunday after being cancelled last year resulting from the COVID pandemic. The number of runners was reduced from the normal 50,000s to the low 30,000s for COVID precautionary reasons, yet the 26.2 mile race still had the same energy, human interest stories and spirit the world’s biggest marathon always generates.

Beginning in Staten Island at the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge and ending at Tavern On the Green in Central Park, the race, which goes through all five boroughs, is a difficult course as competitors have to cross five bridges and tough city hills. Also resuming was the dominance of Kenyan runners with a first and second showing in the women’s division.

Following in the footsteps of the great Mary Keitany, the four-time NYC champion (2014, 2015, 2016, 2018) from Kenya who retired last year due to hip problems, Kenyan

Peres Jepchirchir, 28, won this (Bill Moore photo) year’s race in 2:22:39. Viola Cheptoo, 32, took second in 02:22:44. Ababel Yeshaneh Birhane of Ethiopia came in third in 02:09:52. Jepchirchir, the gold medalist in the marathon at this past summer’s Tokyo Olympics, broke away from Cheptoo and Birhane in the final mile in her first time running the NYC Marathon. “I have a finishing kick,” said Jepchirchir. “The way I used to train in Kenya, I trained harder near the end of my programs.” Cheptoo shared how she sought advice from Keitany, who in addition to four wins in New York AMNEWS finished second twice and won the bronze two times. “She gave 10/07/21 me a few tips on how to run the NYC Marathon,” said Cheptoo. Peres Jepchirchir of Kenya (center) and Australia’s Madison de Rozario took home gold on Like Jepchichir, it was Cheptoo’s Sunday, winning the women’s elite and wheelchair divisions respectively at the NYC Marathon NYC debut. American Molly Seidel placed fourth in 02:24:42. Australian Madison de Rozario, a 2020 Tokyo AMNEWS Summer Paralympics gold medal10/14/21 ist, won the women’s wheelchair division in 1:51:01.

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Korir and Hug capture men’s titles at the 50th TCS NYC Marathon

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 regiment helped him maintain a pace of 4:54 per mile.

Morocco’s Mohamed El Aaraby registered 2:09:06 for second and Eritrean born Eyob Faniel, who became a naturalized Italian citizen in 2015 and represents the country in races, placed third in 2:09:52. Kenyan native Elkanah Kibet, an alumnus of Auburn University, recorded his fastest marathon time in clocking 2:11:15 to come in fourth, the highest placing for an American man in this year’s Marathon. Currently serving in the Army as a financial management technician, Kibet, who became a U.S. citizen in 2013, competes for the U.S. Army World Class Athlete Program. In the men’s wheelchair race, Switzerland’s Marcel Hug garnered his fourth NYC Marathon title, adding Sunday’s gold medal to his wins in 2013, 2016 and 2017. 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 Marathon champion. Two-time (2018, 2019) NYC winner Daniel Romanchuk of the United States secured third in 1:38:22.

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After finishing second at the 2019 TCS NYC Marathon, Kenya’s Albert Korir, pictured in the middle, clocked 2:08:22 to capture his first NYC Marathon title on Sunday. Switzerland’s Marcel Hug won his fourth NYC Marathon championship. (Bill Moore photo)