Ugandan Moses Kipsiro finished 7th in the 2016 New York marathon after Eritrea’s 20 year old, Ghirmay Ghebreslassie had ripped the fields apart for a famous victory.
Ghirmay Ghebreslassie of Eritrea won in 2:07:51, Lucas Rotich of Kenya second in 2:08:53 and Abdi Abdirahman, a Somali-born American distance runner based in Arizona, third in 2:11:23.
Defending champion, Stanley Biwott, had to drop out of the race before reaching the 15k mark, after Moses Kipsiro of Uganda led the pacck for a while.
Boston Marathon champion Lelisa Desisa came to the forefront after 64:24 but the leaders’ group remained intact.
Ghebreslassie of Eritrea begun to push thereafter and Rotich, Desisa responded immediately, increasing the tempo.
A pack of 3 remained by the time they reached the Queensboro Bridge, and the trio of Ghebreslassie, Desisa and Rotich remained the same even at the 17 miles mark to 1st Avenue.
Ghebreslassie entered the Bronx on a high after a hilly 20th mile before later braving the home stretch to claim the marathon.
Kipsiro crossed just after Ethiopia’s Tadesse Yae Dabi who had clocked 02:13:06. Mary Keitany of Kenya won the women’s marathon category in 2 hours 24 minutes 26 seconds.
