Kenyan athlete, Hellen Obiri, was crowned as the winner of the New York City Marathon. Hellen Obiri timed her kick to perfection to win the women’s race. And Tamirat Tola broke the course record for a dominant men’s title triumph at the TCS New York City Marathon, on Sunday.
Claiming their crowns in contrasting styles, Obiri sprinted away from Letesenbet Gidey and Sharon Lokedi in Central Park and crossed the finish line in 2:27:23, winning by six seconds. Tola, on the other hand, left his rivals far behind with 10km remaining in a long run for home. Clocking 2:04:58, he took eight seconds off the course record set by Geoffrey Mutai in 2011.
“The women’s open-division winner today is Hellen Obiri of Kenya, in 2:27:23. The men’s open-division winner is Tamirat Tola of Ethiopia, in a course-record time of 2:04:58. Stay tuned for our podiums!” read a statement from the Marathon’s X (formerly Twitter) page.
The win marks Obiri’s second victory of the year after winning the Boston Marathon, which is considered the world’s oldest annual marathon, with a time of 2:21:38. Obiri pulled away at 400 meters to win the race while Another Kenyan, Sharon Lokedi, finished the race in the third position with a time of 2:27:33.
Ruto celebrates Obiri
President William Ruto extended his congratulations to Hellen Obiri for her remarkable victory in the 2023 New York Marathon held on Sunday.
In a statement posted on his X social media account, Ruto praised Obiri for becoming an inspiring figure, highlighting her dedication and unwavering resilience in the world of athletics.
Ruto also expressed his admiration for Sharon Lokedi, Brigid Kosgei, Mary Ngugi, Viola Cheptoo, and Edna Kiplagat, while also acknowledging Albert Korir for his outstanding second-place finish in the men’s race.
By BNN