Tamirat Tola sets course record in winning NYC Marathon; Hellen Obiri completes NYC/Boston sweep

The New York City Marathon was running out of pavement for three women racing along Central Park South.

And then there were just two contenders hanging the right turn at Columbus Circle back into the park — Hellen Obiri and Letesenbet Gidey, practically breathing down Obiri’s back.

Obiri, 33, floored it during the final 1,000-meter push as the Sunday crowd in the park cheered the Kenyan on. She crossed the finish line 26.2 miles from where she started in Staten Island and put her hands to her face.

The 2023 Boston Marathon champ had become the 2023 New York City Marathon champ as well, arriving in a time of 2:27:33.

The men’s race had long been decided. Then, a few minutes later, it became official, too.

Tamirat Tola, 32, had run away from the field. The Ethiopian ran so well that he broke the course record, finishing in 2:04:58, beating Kenyan Geoffrey Mutai’s 2011 mark of 2:05:06.

About 50,000 participants toured the five boroughs. The two winners from the open divisions in this 52nd edition of the event claimed $100,000. Tola, also a marathon winner for the second time overall, earned a $50,000 bonus for setting the record.

“First of all, I’m happy to win the New York Marathon for the first time,” he said. “It’s my third participating, and I finished fourth twice. Now I’m happy. The course is very difficult . . . Everything is nice for my training, my body. Everything is OK. I’m happy I won.

“I was not thinking about the course record, but I think to win; how can I win? . . . But the course record, I’m just happy.”

Obiri, who moved from Kenya to Colorado in the spring, is a two-time Olympic silver medalist in track after competing in the 5,000 meters in Rio and Tokyo. She also won a bronze medal in the 1,500 at the outdoor world championships in 2013.

After finishing sixth in Central Park last year in her first marathon, she became the first woman to sweep Boston and New York in 34 years and the second to sweep the NYC Half and the NYC Marathon in the same year.

“My first debut here was terrible for me, and I felt like I don’t want to come back next year,” Obiri said. “After that, I said, ‘Wow, I’m here again.’ So you know sometimes you learn from your mistakes.”

Her track background helped.

“Sometimes it comes from your mind, I’m a marathoner and ran track, so I can do well with 400 meters left,” Obiri said.

Gidey, who’s from Ethiopia, finished second in 2:27:29. Sharon Lokedi of Kenya, the 2022 winner, placed third in 2:27:23. Lokedi led a close group of four with a mile remaining.

For much of the race, a pack of several women ran together up front at a slow pace. Kellyn Taylor, 37, often was at the head of the pack.

The Arizona resident led early on and halfway through, and still was first after Mile 21. Then Taylor, in her first marathon since having a baby girl last December, began to fade. She was the first American woman to finish, placing eighth in 2:29:48.

“It was a super-weird race,” Taylor said of the pace.

Kenya’s Albert Korir, who was the 2021 winner here, was the men’s runner-up in 2:06:57. Ethiopia’s Shura Kitata placed third in 2:07:11. Futsum Zienasellassie was the top American men’s finisher, finishing 10th in 2:12:09.

Tola, Korir and Jemal Yimer of Ethiopia were bunched on the Queensboro Bridge during Mile 16. Then Tola and Yimer began to leave Korir behind on First Avenue. Another few miles passed, and Tola had left Yimer behind. He opened a 19-second lead through Mile 21.

The crowds lining the streets helped push him along.

“The people of New York [are] amazing to give me moral support every kilometer,” Tola said. “I’m happy for them. Thank you all people.”

Wheelchair division

Switzerland’s Marcel Hug won the men’s race for a record sixth time. Catherine Debrunner, also from Switzerland, finished first among the women in a course-record 1:39:32.

Chara improves time

Former Islanders defenseman Zdeno Chara, 46, ran the marathon in 3:19:19, shaving nearly 20 minutes off the 3:38:23 he ran in the Boston Marathon in April.
With Andrew Gross