Obiri beats Gidey to win women's New York Marathon

Hellen Obiri clinched her second major win of the year after holding off Ethiopia's Letsenbet Gidey to win the women's race at the New York Marathon on Sunday.

Obiri, the reigning Boston Marathon champion, clocked two hours, twenty-seven minutes, and twenty-three seconds to secure victory in the streets of New York.

Gidey, who was racing in her second marathon, couldn't respond to Obiri's mighty kick in the final meters and had to settle for silver.

The 10,000-meter record holder clocked 2:27:29, with outgoing champion Sharon Lokedi of Kenya taking home bronze in 2:27:33.

With the finish line in sight, the battle for the gold was reduced to Obiri and Gidey after Lokedi faded as a result of the increased pace.

Former record holder Brigid Kosgei, who was also in the picture up to the final kilometer, was also dropped by the pace injected by the former track superstars.

The two rivals on the track back in the day went shoulder to shoulder but the Obiri came on top after engaging a higher gear and pulling away from the Ethiopian to win the race

Reacting to the win, Obiri, a two-time Olympic 5000m silver medalist, said she enjoyed the race and the amazing support from the crowds, which she admitted was a source of inspiration.

"The race was good, and I enjoyed the course. The crowds were amazing as well. The field was strong to the extent that, at some point, I was worried. However, I had patience. I challenged myself to kick with 400 meters remaining and all went well,” she told reporters shortly after the race.

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Soon after Obiri cut the tape, the cameras shifted to the men’s race, where it was Tamirat Tola against the clock as the towering Ethiopian marathoner was enjoying a comfortable lead.

Tola, who broke away from the rest at the 30-kilometer mark, clocked 2:04:58 to console himself from the 2023 World Athletics Championships heartbreak.

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Tola, the 2022 World Championships marathon gold medalist, didn’t defend his crown in Budapest after suffering stomach upsets on the course.

Kenya's Albert Korir was second, with Ethiopia's and former London Marathon champion Shura Kitata third.

Korir stopped the clock after 2:06:57, while Kitata timed 2:07:11.