Peres Jepchirchir underlined her status as the finest female marathon runner on the planet with a devastating kick to take the New York Marathon title. In doing so she becomes the first female ever to win both Olympic gold and New York in the same calendar year.

In the men’s race an impressive Albert Korir improved on his 2019 second place to defeat the pre-race favourites and take his first major marathon honours. It was a fitting reward for a bold move over six miles from the finish.

Jepchirchir leaves it late on streets of New York

Through halfway in 1.12.43 the leading pack was nine strong. It included four Americans in Annie Frisbie, Laura Thweatt, Molly Seidel and Kellyn Taylor. But it was at 30k where the race really took shape, a leading trio of Violah Cheptoo, Ababel Yeshaneh and Jepchirchir slowly pulling away from Molly Seidel in fourth.

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Gaps behind them grew as the three of them covered 30-35k in 16.19 (sub 2.18 pace) before taking 35-40k in 16.43. From there it was Ababel Yeshaneh who was the first to make the move. Surging inside with around 800m to go Jepchirchir then made her own dash for home. Violah Cheptoo would track her but fail to close the distance.

Jepchirchir’s winning time was 2.22.39 ahead of Cheptoo just five seconds back. Yeshaneh finished in 2.22.52 for third.

Molly Seidel came home an impressive fourth in 2.24.42, herself running a significant negative split. (72:43: 71:59)

Jepchirchir’s half splits were 72.43/69:56 as she came just eight seconds short of Margaret Okayo’s 2003 course record.

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Albert Korir outlasts New York favourites

The men’s race ignited only 10k in as Eyob Faniel and Mohamed El Aaraby set an aggressive pace for the second 10k. After an opening 30:46, Faniel split 29:45 from 10-20k to lead a seven-strong pack behind by 43 seconds.

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By the half El Aaraby and Faniel’s lead had stretched to 51 seconds as they passed through in 63:57. At 25k Kibiwott Kandie and Albert Korir began to deem the gap too dangerous aggressively closed. 43 seconds behind at 25k they made the catch by 30k, splitting 14.11 on the way.

Both men would slow down but it was Korir who held firmest, covering 30-35k in 14.57 as distance grew to El Aaraby and Kandie. Faniel was enduring a difficult patch in fourth. Pre-race favourites Abdi Nageeye and Kenenisa Bekele were over two minutes behind and out of the equation.

All were suffering but it was Korir who managed best, extending the lead over El Aaraby to 27 seconds in a 15.43 35-40k. Korir rallied further by the finish to win in 2.08.22. El Aaraby was second (2.09.06) and Eyob Faniel a well deserved third (2.09.52). Kandie would fade to ninth in 2.13.43.

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Elkaneh Kibert was fourth and first American in 2.11.15 with Nageeye and Bekele fifth and sixth.

Korir would be rewarded for a significant negative split (64.50/63.32) to take the biggest win of a career that has featrued wins in Ottawa and Houston.