Kenyan Hellen Obiri was the first women home to the Central Park finish when she clocked a time of 2h 27mins 23secs to win the 2023 New York Marathon’s the women’s race on Sunday, 5 November, 2023.
The Kenyan held her own in the last mile when she was neck with fellow compatriot Sharon Lokedi, but Obiri started to pick up the pace with the second place being interchanged between Lokedi and Ethiopian runner Letesenbet Gidey, who was taking part in only her second marathon.
As the finish line got closer Obiri ramped her speed which left Sharon Lokedi in second place, and Gidey not far behind. The Kenyan kept looking over her shoulder to make sure she was maintaining her lead.
Obiri narrowly kept her lead, racing over the finish line with Gidey in second place – a mere 6 seconds behind – in time of 2h 27 mins 29 secs, while the 2022 de3fending champion Lokedi crossed the line to finish third, coming in at 2hrs 27mins 33secs.
Her win also sees her become the first women in 34 years to win the Boston Marathon and the New York Marathon in the same calendar year.
“Sometimes when you come into a race, you say ‘anything can happen.’ But for me, I train so well, so when I came to this race, I said, ‘I’m strong, I believe in what I’ve done in my training.’ I think still I have something to do, like win the Olympics,” Obiri said after the race to the New York Road Runners media department.
An interest fact with Gidey making her debut at the New York Marathon this year, only her second repeat race over the distance since her debut in at the Valencia Marathon, in 2022.
The 10,000m world champion will be more than pleased with her second place finish in New York.
Meanwhile, in the wheelchair race, Switzerland’s Catherine Debrunne won her first New York marathon, keeping up with her fine form as she bagged a new course record in 1h 39mins 32secs.
This result comes on the back of her also setting course records in the Chicago Marathon and the Berlin marathon, which she also completed in world record times.
“I must say it’s difficult at the moment to find good words for the race, because it has been a fairytale year with all the records and marathon victories. It was just amazing. I really don’t have the words for it,” Debrunner said.
It was a rather successful day for the Swiss as Debrunner’s compatriot Manuela Schär finished second in 1hrs 48mins 14secs. Susannah Scaroni who was last year’s champions ended third in a time of 1 hrs 48mins 14secs.
Photo Caption: It was a good day for the African continent at Kenya’s Hellen Obiri won the New York Marathon, she was followed home by Ethiopia’s Letesenbet Gidey in second place and compatriot Sharon Lokedi, who finished third. Photo: TCS New York City Marathon on Facebook
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