Tamirat Tola and Hellen Obiri, reigning New York Marathon champions, will attempt to be the first to win the event again in almost a decade.
“It was not easy to win New York; I know that all the athletes who come here are confident”said Tamirat Tola, who set the course record last year. “I also compete to win, so I know I’m up for the challenge.”
If Tola wins on Sunday, the 33-year-old Ethiopian will be the first man to be champion again at New York since the Kenyan Geoffrey Mutai won in 2011 and 2013. The 2012 race was canceled due to Hurricane Sandy.
Tola has more history in his sights: he’s looking to join select company by becoming only the second runner to win Olympic gold and the marathon of New York the same year, thus equaling the feat accomplished by Peres Jepchirchir you Kenya en 2021.
Jepchirchir is the first runner to win the Olympic, New York and New York marathons. Boston during his career.
Tola is coming off a victory in Paris gameswhere he established a Olympic record on the marathon. He said the Paris and New York courses were similar because of the hills.
To defend his title on his favorite course, he will have to beat a shock peloton including former winners Geoffrey Kamworor (2017, 2019), Albert Korir (2021) et Evans Chebet (2022), all from Kenya.
Belgian Bashir Abdi, who won the silver medal in Paris, is also in the race. Conner Mantz and Clayton Young, who finished eighth and ninth in Paris, are the top American men.
Hellen Obiria 34-year-old Kenyan who won the bronze medal at the Paris Olympics, is trying to become the first woman to win consecutive races since Mary Keitany of Kenya won three in a row from 2014 to 2016.
“Winning twice in a row is what I’m looking forward to”Obiri said. She will have to beat her own peloton to accomplish this feat.
