Flanagan, Kamworor win NY Marathon

ShalaneFlanagan became the first American woman in 40 years to win the NewYork City Marathon yesterday, joining Kenya’s Geoffrey Kamworor inwinning a first major marathon crown just five days after a deadlyManhattan truck attack that left eight people dead.Flanagan, comingoff a back injury that kept her from racing at Boston, captured herbreakthrough title at age 36 in 2hrs 26mins 53secs and was in tears onthe podium. “This is a moment I’ve dreamed of since I was a littlegirl,” Flanagan said. “It’s indescribable. These are the moments wedream of to realise our potential and see how incredible we can be.”Expandedsecurity lined the route of the world-famous race, which saw anestimated 50,000 runners from more than 125 nations compete over 26.2miles (42.1km) across the city streets.New York’s recent tragedyrevived memories of the 2013 Boston Marathon that was targeted bybombers, but the carnage also helped inspire Flanagan’s triumphant run.“Ithas been a tough week for New Yorkers and a tough week for our nationand I thought what better gift than to make our nation and our peoplesmile,” Flanagan said. “I thought of that when I began to feel thepain.”Not since Miki Gorman in 1977 had a US woman won on the “BigApple” streets. Kamworor took his first victory at the distance in hisseventh marathon start.Two years after losing the lead late in the26.2-mile race, Kamworor held off compatriot Wilson Kipsang to win in anunofficial time of 2hrs 10mins 53secs.“I’m so happy. I feel so great to be the champion,” Kamworor said. “This is my first marathon victory. I’m so happy and so delighted.”Kipsang,the 2014 New York champion, was three seconds back with Ethiopia’sLelisa Desisa third in 2:11:32. Kamworor, 24, settled for second in 2015to Kenyan Stanley Biwott after being overtaken late in the race.Kipsang, 35, won in Tokyo earlier this year but quit after 30km in September’s Berlin Marathon.Eritrea’sGhirmay Ghebreslassie, the 2016 winner, started strong in defending hiscrown, surging ahead twice but being overtaken quickly by the pack eachtime. Kamworor made his move at mile 21 and held off the fast-closingKipsang at the line in Central Park. “New York is very amazing. The course is fantastic,” Kamworor said. “I’m looking forward to coming back next year.”‘Message to the world’Flanagan,the 2010 New York marathon runner-up, was sixth in last year’s RioOlympic marathon. She was the 10,000m runner-up at the 2008 BeijingOlympics. Kenya’s Mary Keitany, who was chasing her fourth consecutiveNew York women’s victory, settled for second, 61 seconds behind Flangan,with Ethiopia’s Mamitu Daska third in 2:28:08.After a slow pace inthe first half of the race, Keitany took the lead just after themidpoint and surged at 15 miles, shrinking the front pack to nine beforeslowing the pace once again. At 21 miles, Keitany, Flanagan and Daskapulled away and at mile 23, Flanagan grabbed the lead for good.NewYork City Mayor Bill de Blasio said the event being staged as plannedwas “a terrorist’s worst nightmare” for bringing together people from avariety of cultures with resiliency despite the deadly attack.“This day is incredibly important for New York and the entire country,” De Blasio said. “We’re standing up to terrorists.“Wehave 2 million people along this route. It goes off on schedule despitean attack in our city this week. This sends a message to the wholeworld. “Look at that unity. Look at that example - live and let live.It’s everyone getting together for a common cause - it doesn’t matterwhat background you are from. This event is life affirming every yearbut this year more than ever.”RESULTS MEN’S1.Geoffrey Kamworor(Kenya)2:10:53 2.Wilson Kipsang(Kenya)2:10:56 3.Lelisa Desisa(Ethiopia)2:11:32 4.Lemi Berhanu Hayle(Ethiopia)2:11:52 5.Tadesse Abraham(Switzerland)2:12:01 6.Michel Butter(Netherlands)2:12:39 7.Abdihakem Abdirahman(US)2:12:48 8.Koen Naert(Belgium)2:13:21 9.Fikadu Girma(Ethiopia)2:13:58 10.Shadrack Kiptoo Biwott(US)2:14:57 WOMEN’S1. Shalane Flanagan (US) 2:26:53 2. Mary Keitany (Kenya) 2:27:54 3. Mamitu Daska (Ethiopia) 2:28:08 4. Edna Kiplagat (Kenya) 2:29:36 5. Allie Kieffer (US) 2:29:39 6. Sara Dossena (Italy) 2:29:39 7. Eva Vrabcova Nyvltova (Czech Republic) 2:29:41 8. Kellyn Taylor (US) 2:29:56 9. Diane Nukuri-Johnson (Burundi) 2:31:21 10. Stephanie Bruce (US) 2:31:44