As entry restrictions to the United States were only lifted on Monday, there was no French runner at the start of the 50th New York Marathon. That hasn’t stopped thousands of runners from invading the streets of the Big Apple. Since 1970, the New York Marathon has been THE marathon you have to run once in your life. 51 years ago, less than 200 pioneers took part.
After the 2020 edition canceled due to Covid, Peres Jepchirchir was favorite of the 2021 edition. She was discovering New York. The Olympic champion from Tokyo showed that she was indeed the patron of the 42.195km by settling a few hundred meters from the finish Viola Cheptoo Lagat and Ababel Yeshaneh. On arrival, the 28-year-old Kenyan crossed the line in 2:22:39, 8 seconds from the event record. Cheptoo, younger sister of Bernard Lagat, completed her very first marathon in 2h22′44 ′ ‘, third place went to the Ethiopian Yeshaneh in 2h22′52 ′’.
A little later, in the middle of the afternoon French time, the Kenyan Albert Korir won in the men in 2h08′22 ′ ‘at the end of an exciting race. Korir, second in 2019, returned to a duo of breakaways, the Moroccan Mohamed El Aaraby and the Italian Eyob Faniel, finally second and third. Mohamed El Aaraby finished in 2h09′06 and Faniel in 2h09′52 ′ ‘.
Headliner of the marathon, Kenenisa Bekele was nonexistent from the 10th kilometer, leaving the animation of the race to others. The Ethiopian legend who won in Paris in 2014 has obviously not recovered from the Berlin marathon, which ended in 2:06 only six weeks ago. Bekele, 39, finished 6th in 2h12′52 ′ ‘, ahead of Kibiwott Kandie (9th in 2h13′43 ′’), who totally exploded in the last kilometers after leading the race with Korir.
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