Dutchman Abdi Nageeye and Kenyan Sheila Chepkirui pulled away from more accomplished runners in the last half mile to win their first major marathon titles at the New York City Marathon.
Nageeye, the Tokyo Olympic silver medalist, edged Kenyan Evans Chebet, 2:07:39 to 2:07:45, to become the first Dutch runner to win New York City. Nageeye, 35, finished fourth, third and fifth in the last three New York City Marathons.
Nageeye was born in Somalia, moved to the Netherlands at age 6, then moved to Syria for three years and then back to Somalia before returning to the Netherlands via Ethiopia when he was adopted.
He raced New York City less than three months after dropping out of the Paris Olympic marathon with hip pain about 10 miles after a hard collision with Kenyan Alexander Mutiso before the halfway point.
NEW YORK CITY MARATHON: Results
Chebet won New York City in 2022, sandwiched between two Boston Marathon titles.
Conner Mantz, who was sixth, was the top American man, just as he was at the Olympic Trials in February and the Paris Games in August.
Chepkirui, a 33-year-old mom, dropped defending champion and fellow Kenyan Hellen Obiri late in Central Park in her New York City debut.
She clocked 2:24:35, pulling away from Obiri by 14 seconds. Vivian Cheruiyot, a 41-year-old who won the 2016 Olympic 5000m, was third to round out the first Kenyan women’s podium sweep in New York City history.
Chepkirui entered with the fastest personal best of the field — 2:17:29 — and placed second at the 2023 Berlin Marathon.
Sara Vaughn was the top American woman in sixth in 2:26:57.
Americans swept the women’s and men’s wheelchair victories for the first time.
Daniel Romanchuk earned his third New York City title and first since 2019 as Swiss Marcel Hug was denied a a four-peat. Hug, who placed fourth, had won his previous 16 annual World Marathon Major starts in a row.
Susannah Scaroni won her second New York City Marathon in three years. Scaroni, a four-time Paris Paralympic medalist, won by 10:42 over countrywoman Tatyana McFadden. That marked the largest margin of victory in a New York City wheelchair division since 2002.
The next major marathon is the Tokyo Marathon on March 2.
Jenny Simpson sets New York City Marathon as last professional race, then eyes 50-state journey
Jenny Simpson, arguably the best female miler in U.S. history, plans to retire after the New York City Marathon.
