Mary Keitany and Stanley Biwott champions of New York City Marathon

Two deep fields of elite runners competed in this year’s New York City Marathon with Kenyan runners taking the championships in both the men’s and women’s marathons. The much-adored Meb Keflezighi broke a masters record at his 10th running of the course.

Women’s race

Going into the women’s race, the pre-race favourite was Mary Keitany, the Kenyan athlete who came back to New York this year to defend her title. Keitany ran a strong one today staying up front with the lead group the whole race and eventually coming in for the win with a 2:24:25. She had over a minute lead over the runner-up, Ethiopia’s Aselefech Mergia. The two women train under the same coach.

Keitany ran a smart race today and to spectators watching, it was obvious that she was dictating the pace from the moment the lead pack started to break up. When Keitany made her move, a strong group of three others– Aselefech Mergia, Tigist Tufa and Priscah Jeptoo– latched on staying competitive with the 2014 champion. It was Tufa who ran up front second to Keitany during the last third of the race matching her almost step by step before falling back and being replaced by Mergia as Keitany opened a larger gap.

In the final kilometres leading up to the finish, it was obvious that Keitany was going to take her second consecutive championship. She slowed a little bit as she brought it home in the last two kilometres but there was no chance that Mergia could catch her. Mergia finished in 2:25:32. Third place went to Tigist Tufa with her time of 2:25:50.

Keitany is a mother of two and doesn’t train through her pregnancies but that didn’t affect her today. She looked at ease cruising out on the New York course today.

Men’s race

It was less obvious who would become the winner of the men’s race. Wilson Kipsang also showed up at the start line with the intention to defend his title. Competitive with him was last year’s runner up and 2015 Boston champ Lelisa Desisa, cross-country champion Geoffrey Kamworor and second-place Boston finisher Yemane Tesgaye. While the field was loaded with accomplished runners, it was the underestimated Stanley Biwott who came in for the win today. He ran a 2:10:34 to take his first major marathon title.

Unlike the women’s race, it was not clear as the race progressed which athlete would break the tape. The race started slow but at 1:06 into the marathon, the lead men picked up the pace a little bit but it remained about eight men strong. It was Kamworor who broke up the pack when he eventually made his move to take the lead. The Kenyan athlete is only 22 years old and relatively early in his career.

As that lead pack broke up it was Desisa, Biwott and Kipsang who stuck with him. Kipsang didn’t last long before falling off pace. Biwott moved into second. Though ranked fifth going into the marathon and having less experience under his belt, Biwott moved ahead of Kamworor into first place, opening up a gap in the last kilometres before the finish. For awhile it looked as though Kamworor could catch him but by the final stretch, it was apparent that Biwott, the dairy farmer from Kenya would be taking the 2015 title. He finished in 2:10:34 with Kamworor coming in at 2:10:48. Third place was Desisa in 2:12:10.

“I knew that in the last 15K would push it very hard,” said Biwott. “Everyone was cheering ‘Biwott, Biwott’ all the way.”

Biwott was a full time dairy farmer until he started training more seriously in 2006. He still owns 10 cows back at home.

Kipsang was the fourth runner to cross the finish. He ran 2:12:45. As the top runners came in, spectators kept watch for Keflezighi. Today was his 10th running of New York. Not only did he place in the top 10 (coming in seventh place) but his 2:13:32 time also broke a masters record.

“I always love it in New York,” he said shortly after his finish. “To do it my tenth time, I’m happy to be here.”