Wilson Kipsang and Mary Keitany triumph in New York City
What you need to know:
- Keitany, who finished fourth at the Olympics while one month pregnant, won in an unofficial time of 2 hours, 25 minutes and five seconds with Sumgong two seconds back.
- The 26.2-mile race was staged in cold and windy conditions, keeping the pace the slowest it had been in 30 years.
NEW YORK
Wilson Kipsang won the New York City Marathon men's title on Sunday, defeating Ethiopia's Lelisa Desisa with a strong push to the finish line.
Kipsang won the 26.2-mile race in an unofficial time of two hours, 10 minutes and 59 seconds with Desisa four seconds back.
With the victory, Kipsang won the $500,000 (Sh45 m) bonus for capturing the 2013-14 World Marathon Majors title, overtaking Berlin Marathon winner Dennis Kimetto for the prize.
Earlier, Mary Keitany, competing in her first marathon since the 2012 London Olympics, won in the women's category, edging compatriot Jemima Jelagat Sumgong in the final strides.
Keitany, who finished fourth at the Olympics while one month pregnant, won in an unofficial time of 2 hours, 25 minutes and five seconds with Sumgong two seconds back in what could be the closest finish in the history of the women's race.
The race was staged in cold and windy conditions, keeping the pace the slowest it had been in 30 years.