NYC Marathon 2021: Albert Korir takes men’s race, Peres Jepchirchir wins women’s
It was Korir’s first victory in one of the World Marathon Majors and his first time atop any podium since winning the Ottawa Race Weekend Marathon in 2019.
The 27-year-old Korir finished second to Geoffrey Kamworor in 2019 by 23 seconds.
Korir and fellow Kenyan Kibwott Kandie were side by side as they passed El Aaraby and Faniel, but Kandie – the world record holder in the half marathon – fell off in his marathon debut.
El Aaraby held on for an improbable second-place finish after coming in 11th at the Tokyo Olympics. Faniel was third.
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WOMEN’S WINNER
Peres Jepchirchir of Kenya pulled from the pack at the entrance to Central Park and won the New York City Marathon, becoming the first woman to win a marathon major in the fall after winning an Olympic gold medal. Jepchirchir broke away from countrymate Viola Cheptoo and Ethiopia’s Ababel Yeshaneh in the final mile of the race after the trio ran side by side from the Bronx back down through Manhattan.
Jepchirchir, 28, took gold at the Tokyo Olympic marathon in August and came back on a short recovery to win a race once dominated by her hero Mary Keitany, a four-time winner in New York who recently retired from the sport.
Peres Jepchirchir became first runner to win Olympic Gold and the NYC Marathon as she captured the pro women’s division.
WHEELCHAIR COMPETITION
Marcel Hug won the men’s wheelchair division at TCS NYC Marathon by a wide margin. Not a competitor was in sight as he crossed the finish line.
The 35-year-old added yet another prize to a remarkable year that included four gold medals at the Tokyo Paralympics, including in the marathon. He also won the Boston Marathon last month.
Hug, born with spina bifida, finished second to American Daniel Romanchuk in 2018 and ’19. The latter defeat came by just one second.
Hug finished Sunday in 1 hour, 31 minutes and 24 seconds, more than 6 1/2 minutes ahead of Britain’s David Weir in second and Romanchuck in third.
Madison de Rozario of Australia has won the New York City Marathon women’s wheelchair race, holding off past champions Tatyana McFadden and Manuela Schr for her first Big Apple victory.
The 27-year-old took gold over Schr at this year’s Tokyo Paralympic Marathon by just one second, but she blew away the field Sunday, winning by nearly three minutes at 1 hour, 51 minutes and 1 second. McFadden was second and Schr was third.
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The second oldest of the world’s marathon majors ran its 50th edition Sunday after canceling in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic. The field was cut by about 40% to around 30,000 runners, with efforts made to maintain distance between competitors near the start and finish lines.
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