It was a double victory for Kenya in this year’s New York Marathon as Joyciline Jepkosgei and Geoffrey Kamworor produced very stunning performances to clinch the ladies’ and men’s titles respectively.
Jepkosgei who was making her debut timed 2hrs 22 mins and 38 secs
Joyciline Jepkosgei who was making her debut clocked 2hrs 22 mins and 38 secs to finish in the first position while another Kenyan Mary Keitany finished in the second position timing 2hrs 23mins and 32 secs.
Ruti Aga of Ethiopia was third in 2 hrs 25 mins 51 secs. Meanwhile, Geoffrey Kamworor won the world’s largest annual marathon for the second time in three years, pulling away from countryman Albert Korir in the final miles.
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Kamworor, who trains with marathon world-record holder Eliud Kipchoge, finished in 2 hrs 08 mins 13 secs and then immediately embraced Kipchoge, who was in the Central Park crowd.
Ethiopian Lelisa Desisa, the defending men’s champion, withdrew in the seventh mile, 29 days after winning the world championships marathon in Doha
Elsewhere, Kenya’s Daniel Kipkore Kibet won the 41st Istanbul Marathon title in Turkey after clocking 2 hours 9 minutes and 44 seconds to break the course record.
Ethiopia’s Yitayal Atnafu Zerihun finished second in 2 hours 9 minutes and 44 seconds while Kenya’s Peter Kwemoi Ndorobo finished third after clocking 2 hours 10 minutes and 9 seconds.
Ethiopian athlete Hirut Tibebu clocked 2 hours 23 minutes and 40 seconds to win the women’s title ahead of her compatriot Tigist Abayechew who clocked 2 hours 24 minutes and 15 seconds.
Kenya’s Maurine Chepkemoi finished third.
Kenya’s Mathew Kimeli won the men’s 21km title, while the women’s title was bagged by Ethiopia’s Tsigie Gebreselama.
Over 37,000 runners including 63 elite athletes from 106 countries competed in the marathon.
