TCS NYC Marathon: Hellen Obiri and Tamirat Tola win elite women's and men's races
Tamirat Tola set a course record to win the TCS NYC Marathon men's race while Hellen Obiri won a very close women's race
NEW YORK (WABC) -- Tamirat Tola of Ethiopia set a course record to win the TCS New York City Marathon men's race, while the women's race came down to a dash to the finish among 3 runners. Hellen Obiri of Kenya emerged the victor.
Earlier, Catherine Debrunner and Marcel Hug shattered records in winning their respective Wheelchair Races.
Thousands of athletes, pros and amateurs, wound their way across a 26.2-mile course sidelined by a crowd of thousands of spectators through the five boroughs on Sunday in the 52nd annual event.
ELITE MEN'S WINNER
Tamirat Tola of Ethiopia had the last mile virtually to himself on the way to winning the men's elite race. Tola ran in a course-record time of 2:04:59, topping the 2:05.06 set by Geoffrey Mutai in 2011.
Tola pulled away from countrymate Jemel Yimer when the pair were heading towards the Bronx at mile 20. By the time he headed back into Manhattan a mile later he was up by 19 seconds and chasing Mutai's mark.
"The people of New York is amazing to give me moral support every kilometer," Tola said. "I'm happy for them. Thank you all people. It's a long kilometers to do alone. ... I'm not thinking about a lot. I'm thinking to win. So this is nice."
Futsum Zienasellassie was the top American men's winner in a time of 2:12:09, just 14 seconds ahead of Elkanah Kibet.
ELITE WOMEN'S WINNER
Hellen Obiri of Kenya won the elite women's race in a 3-way dash to the finish line. Obiri, Letesenbet Gidey of Ethiopia and defending champion Sharon Lokedi were all running together exchanging the lead. Obiri made a move as the trio headed back into Central Park for the final half-mile.
Obiri crossed in a time of 2:27:23. Gidey finished 6 seconds behind.
"My first debut here was terrible for me, and I say like I don't want to come back here next year," Obiri said. "After that, I said, wow, I'm here again. So you know sometimes you learn from your mistakes, so I did a lot of mistakes last year, so I said I want to try to do my best."
The top American finisher was Kellyn Taylor in a time of 2:29:48.
This was a stellar women's field that was expected to potentially take down the course record of 2:22:31 set by Margaret Okayo in 2003. Unlike last year when the weather was unseasonably warm with temperatures in the 70s, Sunday's race was much cooler with it being in the 50s - ideal conditions for record breaking times and for the 50,000 runners.
Instead the women had a tactical race with 11 runners, including Americans Kellyn Taylor and Molly Huddle in the lead pack for the first 20 miles. Taylor and Huddle both led the group at points before falling back and finishing in eighth and ninth.
Once the lead group came back into Manhattan for the final few miles, Obiri, Gidey and Lokedi pushed the pace.
As the trio entered Central Park they further distanced themselves from Kenya's Brigid Kosgei, who finished fourth.
5 MILES TO FINISH
Tamirat Tola pulled away on the men's side with 5 miles to go, while the women's race has several runners in a tight battle approaching the final miles. The leaders are Hellen Obiri, Letensenbt Gidey, Sharon Lokedi, Brigid Kosgei, and Violah Lagat.
MEN'S RACE ENTERING MANHATTAN
Tamirat Tola and Jemal Yimer both of Ethiopia broke away from the lead pack on First Avenue in Manhattan.
The race had been tight through most of the course. The women's race remained tight with 11 together heading into mile 20.
WOMEN'S RACE ENTERING MANHATTAN
ABC NEWS RELAY TEAM CONQUERS THE COURSE
The team who works together ran together in the 2023 TCS New York City Marathon. 11 members of ABC News are participating in the relay run. Kemberly Richardson caught up with Ginger Zee as she embraced Jarvis ahead of her leg of the race.
PROFESSIONAL WHEELCHAIR DIVISION WINNERS
Marcel Hug of Switzerland captured his third straight men's wheelchair race in an unofficial time of 1:25:29, missing the course record that he set last year by just seconds. It's his 6th New York City Marathon win, breaking the record held previously held by Kurt Fearnley. Hug also becomes the first person ever to win all six World Marathon Majors in one year.
"It's incredible. I think it takes some time to realize what happened," Hug said. "I'm so happy as well."
He's the most decorated champion in the wheelchair race at the event, breaking a tie with Tatyana McFadden and Kurt Fearnley for most wins in the division in event history.
Catherine Debunner, also of Switzerland, captured the women's wheelchair race in a course record time of 1:39:32. It's her third straight marathon win and first time in New York.
"It's difficult to describe in words. I said to my coach if I win this race, it's the best performance I ever showed," Debrunner said. "Knew it's the toughest marathon of all. It was the first time. I knew it was going to be so tough."
Debrunner and Tola both earned a $50,000 bonus for topping the previous course records.
Romanchuk and Aaron Pike qualified for the 2024 Paris Games by finishing as the top Americans in the men's wheelchair race. Scaroni and McFadden qualified on the women's side for the Olympics.
ELITE MEN'S RACE IS UNDERWAY
The men's open division race is off and running on the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge. Last year's men's champion, Kenya's Evans Chebet, is not running. All 4 pro races are now in progress. The first wave of general runners began at 9:10 a.m.
The temperature at the start of the men's race in Staten Island is 54 degrees.
TRACK YOUR FAVORITE RUNNER
You can track your favorite runners and stay up to speed on race-day events with the TCS New York City Marathon App. Details on how to download are available from the NYRR. Key features include uninterrupted coverage of the four professional divisions, an interactive spectator guide and live tracking to help you catch your runners out on the course.
ELITE WOMEN'S RACE IS UNDERWAY
The elite women started at 8:40 a.m. Reigning champion Sharon Lokedi is facing a stiff challenge that includes Boston Marathon champion Hellen Obiri, Olympic gold medalist and 2021 New York champion Peres Jepchirchir and former marathon world-record holder Brigid Kosgei. American Kellyn Taylor took an early lead in the uphill opening mile.
RECORD PACE IN THE WHEELCHAIR DIVISION
Marcel Hug is out on his own in the wheelchair division at 15K, reached in a time of 28:30. That's on pace for a finish time of 1:20:09. The marathon event record, which Hug set last year, is 1:25:26.
AND THEY'RE OFF
The men's pro wheelchair division race got things going just after 8:00 a.m. The women's pro wheelchair division race is underway as well.
GETTING THERE
The thousands of athletes who are participating in the marathon began their trek to the starting line well before sunrise. Many go by bus or ferry.
If you want to see the 2023 TCS NYC Marathon in person, there are plenty of places to catch the race all over New York City. The best places to watch are here.
START TIMES
The 52nd annual TCS NYC Marathon begins with the Professional Wheelchair Division at 8:00 a.m. followed by the Handcycle Category and Select Athletes with Disabilities.
The Professional Women start at 8:40 a.m. followed by the Men's Division at 9:05 a.m.
After that, general runners will start in waves beginning at 9:10 a.m. and continue until 11:35 a.m.
MARATHON ROUTE
The journey kicks off with a cannon blast on Staten Island but racers won't be here long. The first mile takes runners across the majestic Verrazzano-Narrows bridge, where they confront the marathon's steepest incline. The runners head north through Brooklyn and Queens before turning west across the Queensboro Bridge into Manhattan, north to the Bronx, and then back into Manhattan for the finish in Central Park.
THE PROFESSIONALS
Last year's men's champion, Kenya's Evans Chebet, is not running.
On the women's side, Sharon Lokedi will be defending her title against a strong group of runners including Boston Marathon champion Hellen Obiri, Olympic gold medalist and 2021 New York champion Peres Jepchirchir and former marathon world-record holder Brigid Kosgei.
Lokedi won in her marathon debut last year, taking the New York laurel wreath crown in 2:23.23. She pulled away in the final two miles of the race, winning in unseasonably warm temperatures in the 70s. It was one of the hottest days in race history since the marathon was moved to November in 1986.
The New York City Marathon also serves as the U.S. Paralympic Trials, with up to four wheelchair racers set to become the first athletes across all sports to make the team for the 2024 Paris Games. The top two Americans in the men's and women's NYC Marathon will qualify for the Paralympics, provided they also record a minimum qualifying time since last October and are ranked high enough.
SECURITY
The New York Police Department will implement heightened security measures for the marathon.
"As tensions rise around the globe, there is a growing concern over the impact it will have here at home," said NYPD Commissioner Edward Caban. "There are currently no credible or specific threats to the marathon or to our city. But having said that, we will still implement a comprehensive security plan."
There have been numerous protests in New York City since the start of the Israel-Hamas war last month.
Discover more coverage of the 2023 TCS NYC Marathon here.
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