CNN —
Kenya’s Sharon Lokedi was a surprise winner of the women’s New York City Marathon on Sunday, while Evans Chebet won the men’s race, completing a Kenyan doubles.
Competing the 26.2-mile distance for the first time in her career, Lokedi broke away from Israel’s Lonah Chemtai Salpeter in the closing stages to finish the race in a time of two hours, 23 minutes and 23 seconds.
Salpeter was second, seven seconds back, and Ethiopia’s Gotytom Gebreslase, who was crowned Marathon World Champion earlier this year, was third.
Hellen Obiri, making her marathon debut and one of the pre-race favorites, struggled in the closing stages and fell back from the lead group, eventually finishing sixth.
Lokedi, 28, is only the eighth athlete in history – male or female – to win her marathon debut in New York, and she looked visibly emotional after crossing the finish line in Central Park.
“I’m at a loss for words, I’m really excited … The course was incredible, the cheering, everything,” she told ESPN. “I’m just grateful”
In the men, Chebet became the first man to win the New York City and Boston marathon in the same year since 2011 when he finished in two hours, eight minutes and 41 seconds, 13 seconds ahead of Ethiopia’s Shura Kitata during the Dutchman Abdi Nageeye was in third place, more than a minute behind.
Chebet’s win means the Kenyan men have won all six major city marathons this year. In addition to Chebet’s titles in Boston, Eliud Kipchoge won in Tokyo and Berlin, Amos Kipruto in London and Benson Kipruto in Chicago.
Challenging conditions prevailed for Sunday’s race as temperatures in New York City hovered around 23 degrees Celsius (73 degrees Fahrenheit).
Brazilian Daniel Do Nascimento led the field for much of the men’s race, but he collapsed and received medical treatment in the closing stages, giving Chebet the lead.
Race officials later told CNN that Do Nascimento was fine after abandoning the race.
50,000 runners are expected to compete in this year’s NYC marathon – the first full-capacity race since the Covid-19 pandemic.
The race, which runs through all five boroughs of New York City, was held virtually in 2020 and with a limited number of participants in 2021.
In the men’s wheelchair division, Switzerland’s Marcel Hug clinched the fifth NYC marathon title of his men’s career.
The 36-year-old – known as the “Swiss Silver Bullet” – broke the wheelchair course record by nearly four minutes, finishing it in one hour, 25 minutes and 25 seconds.
This broke Kurt Fearnley’s record of 1:29:22 set in 2006.
American Susannah Scaroni also set a course record in the women’s race, finishing in one hour, 42 minutes and 43 seconds to break Tatyana McFadden’s previous record.