Kenyan Evans Chebet won the New York Marathon in 2 hours 8 minutes and 41 seconds on Sunday, November 6, making Kenya the first nation to win all six major marathons in a single season. On the women’s side, her compatriot Sharon Lokedi also emerged victorious in the race.
This is an unprecedented performance in the world of athletics: Kenya becomes the first nation to win all six major marathons in a single season, after the victory of Evans Chebet in 2 hours 8 minutes and 41 seconds during the New York Marathon, this Sunday, November 6. An unprecedented performance since the world circuit was extended to six races in 2013, with the addition of the Tokyo marathon.
Already winner of the Boston Marathon last April, Evans Chebet triumphs at 34 for the second time this season. He was ahead of Ethiopian Shura Kitata, just 13 seconds from the finish, and Dutchman Abdi Nageeye, silver medalist at the Tokyo Olympics last year.
Kenya has the luxury of a double in New York since in the women’s category, it was Sharon Lokedi who emerged victorious from the race while competing in her first marathon. She won in 2 hours 23 minutes and 23 seconds ahead of the Israeli of Kenyan origin Lornah Salpeter, 3rd at the last World Championships, and the Ethiopian world champion Gotytom Gebreslase.
A thwarted triumph until the 35th kilometer
In the men’s race, however, the scenario could have been quite different: the Brazilian Daniel Do Nascimento, who started alone in the lead for a good part of the race and widened the gap, suddenly collapsed 10 kilometers from the arrived due to cramps. Chebet then took the lead of the race and remained intractable until the finish line. He succeeds his compatriot Albert Korir, winner in 2021.
With the victories of double Olympic champion Eliud Kipchoge in Tokyo (March 6) then Berlin (September 25), Amos Kipruto in London (October 2), Benson Kipruto in Chicago (October 9) and Evans Chebet in Boston ( April 18) and New York (November 6) for the last race of the season, Kenya concludes a perfect year crowned by this Grand Slam and confirms its domination on the world circuit.
(With AFP)