Wilson Kipsang of Kenya emerged winner of the 2014 TCS New York City Marathon on Sunday, beating a host of elite runners in 2:10:55, 7.5 minutes off his former record, after having pulled away in the final mile.
There was a huge pack in the race for the first half with close to 17 men running together but the number reduced to 11 as they crossed the Pulaski Bridge into Queens.
The pack remained the same size into Manhattan, until Kipsang, Geoffrey Mutai, Gebremariam and Desisa began to stretch it. Keflezighi, Stephen Kiprotich and Kirui later on fell off pace behind.
Kipsang surged ahead of Ethiopia’s Lelisa Desisa to race through Central Park in the final two miles. He broke away again from the pack with Desisa but made the final sprint to overcome his opponent who had tried to make a move.
Despite the windy morning in New York City that slowed down the pace, Kispang showed he can still perform better after having lost the world-record five weeks ago. He attributed his success to patience after the triumph. “I had to exercise a lot of patience.”
There was a huge pack in the race for the first half with close to 17 men running together but the number reduced to 11 as they crossed the Pulaski Bridge into Queens.
The pack remained the same size into Manhattan, until Kipsang, Geoffrey Mutai, Gebremariam and Desisa began to stretch it. Keflezighi, Stephen Kiprotich and Kirui later on fell off pace behind.
Kipsang surged ahead of Ethiopia’s Lelisa Desisa to race through Central Park in the final two miles. He broke away again from the pack with Desisa but made the final sprint to overcome his opponent who had tried to make a move.
Despite the windy morning in New York City that slowed down the pace, Kispang showed he can still perform better after having lost the world-record five weeks ago. He attributed his success to patience after the triumph. “I had to exercise a lot of patience.”
Lelisa Desisa who was running his fourth career marathon and his first in New York finished second, 11 seconds back, while 2010 champion Gebre Gebremariam and 2009 champion Meb Keflezighi came third and fourth respectively.
Uganda’s World and reigning Olympic champion Stephen Kiprotich finished 5th in 2:13:25, meaning he failed to reach his target of breaking his national record of 2:07:20 in the 26.2 mile event.
Kenyan Mary Keitany won the women’s category of the 2014 New York City Marathon, also having pulled away in final mile. “I worked hard for this opportunity,” she said. “And am happy because i have a victory today.”
Keitany won in 2:25:7 3 seconds ahead countryman Jemima Sumgong and Portuguese marathon debutant Sara Moreira who finished 2nd and 3rd respectively.
