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Course record falls at United Airlines NYC Half

Ethiopia's Senbere Teferi outkicked Kenya's Irene Cheptai to win in 1:07:35

March 20, 2022
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On a warm, sunny day in New York City, Ethiopia’s Senbere Teferi outkicked Kenya’s Irene Cheptai to win the United Airlines NYC Half Marathon in a new course record of 1:07:35, beating Molly Huddle’s 2016 record of 1:07:41. Canada’s top finisher, Natasha Wodak, finished 7th in 1:10:01, 28 seconds off the Canadian record.

The women’s race

Teferi and Cheptai broke away early from the pack, making it a two-woman race for much of the morning. Teferi began to try and break away as they entered Central Park, but Cheptai was hot on her heels, challenging her right to the finish line. Ultimately, Teferi outkicked Cheptai to beat her to the line by two seconds, with Cheptai finishing in second in 1:07:37, also under Huddle’s previous record.

Norway’s Karoline Bjerkeli Grøvdal rounded out the podium in third in 1:08:07. Wodak was Canada’s top finisher, running 1:10:21 for 7th, less than 30 seconds off Andrea Seccafien’s record of 1:09:38. Seccafien herself finished not far behind Wodak in 1:11:33. Kate Bazeley of St. John’s, NL ran well in the Big Apple as well, finishing in 1:16:10.

The men’s race

It was a tight, three-man race on the men’s side, between two Kenyan athletes, Rhonex Kipruto and former NCAA phenom Edward Cheserek and Ethiopia’s Teshome Mekonen. Kipruto ultimately outkicked his countryman for the win, breaking the tape in 1:00:30, only seven seconds ahead of Cheserek, who finished second in 1:00:37. Not far behind was Mekonen, who rounded out the podium 1:00:40.

Rory Linkletter, who recently broke the Canadian half-marathon record in Houston (1:01:08) was Canada’s top finisher on the men’s side, crossing the line in 10th in 1:02:19.

The wheelchair race

Manuela Schär, the third-place finisher from the New York City Marathon, and former world record holder Daniel Romanchuk were the winners of the women’s and men’s wheelchair division. Schär broke the tape in 56:12, more than five minutes ahead of second-place finisher Yen Hoang, who finished in 1:01:3. Tatyana McFadden finished third in 1:05:45.

Romanchuk, who also finished third in the NYC Marathon last November, won the men’s race in 49:22, four minutes ahead of second-place finisher Hermin Garic in 53:24. Spain’s Rafael Botello finished third in 54:16.