New York Marathon: Albert Korir wins men's race, Peres Jepchirchir takes women's race

The iconic New York Marathon got underway on Sunday for the first time since it was canceled last year due to COVID-19 pandemic. This year’s competition was conducted under new health and safety measures to prevent the massive event from turning into a super-spreader. Albert Korir of Kenya won the men’s race with a timing of 2 hours, 8 minute and 22 seconds. Meanwhile Peres Jepchirchir, also of Kenya, won the women’s division, completing the race in 2 hours 22 minutes and 39 seconds.

Korir and Jepchirchir made it a Kneyan sweep with Korir winning the men’s race two years after finishing second and Jepchirchir becoming the only woman to take a marathon major in the fall after earning an Olympic gold medal.

It was Korir’s first triumph 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 finished second to Geoffrey Kamworor in 2019 by 23 seconds.

Korir leapt in the air as he broke the tape in central park, with Moroccan Mohamed El Aaraby finishing 44 seconds behind and Italian Eyob Faniel finishing third.

Jepchirchir is the first athlete to pick up an Olympic gold and win the famed five-borough race in the same year. Meanwhile, fellow Kenyan Viola Cheptoo and Ethiopian Ababel Yeshaneh finished second and third respectively.   

“After I won Olympic marathon I was not expecting to win,” said Jepchirchir, who had just 13 weeks in between the Games and New York.

Cheptoo dedicated her run to Olympian and compatriot Agnes Tirop, who was found stabbed to death in her home last month.

“It’s been really challenging,” said Cheptoo, who said she would work to raise awareness of gender-based violence.

“There were no signs of abuse because she kept it to herself, and just knowing how she was murdered, the pain that she went through has really affected me.”