Second of the previous edition in 2019 won by his compatriot Geoffrey Kamworor, that of last year having been canceled due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Korir, won in 2 hours 8 minutes and 22 seconds.

He was 44 seconds ahead of the Moroccan Mohamed El Aaraby and the Italian Eyob Faniel, 3rd, relegated to 1 min 30 sec, who had been the first to animate the race by slipping slightly at the 15th km until counting 51 seconds. in advance at the halfway point.

"The race was not easy, but I had fun. When I implemented my tactics, it worked," commented the 28-year-old Kenyan.

Kenyan Albert Korir poses with his trophy, after winning the 50th edition of the New York Marathon, November 7, 2021 TIMOTHY A. CLARY AFP

The latter, along with his compatriot Kibiwott Kandie, has indeed chosen this moment to join El Aaraby and Faniek at the 30th km, and further accelerate the pace without any of his competitors managing to cling to him.

Among them was Kenenisa Bekele, who was not at the party for his first participation in the prestigious New York event, where he was aiming for nothing less than victory while also having the world distance record in the lead. .

30,000 participants

The 39-year-old Ethiopian middle and long distance legend, triple Olympic gold medalist (over 10,000 m in 2004 and 2008 and over 5,000 m also in 2008) finally finished in 6th place.

Even worse than in Berlin, a month and a half ago, where he finished 3rd.

In women, Peres Jepchirchir has shown that she is indeed the queen of the specialty, four months after her Olympic coronation in Tokyo this summer.

"It was not planned, it's incredible. I thank God for helping me to finish the season well, after winning the Olympic marathon. I had little time to prepare myself, but I have doing my best to make sure I finish the job well, ”she responded.

The 28-year-old Kenyan, who put in a terrible acceleration in the final corners of Central Park, won in 2 hours 22 minutes and 39 seconds, ahead of her compatriot Viola Cheptoo and the Ethiopian Ababel Yeshaneh, 3rd by five seconds.

The joy of the Kenyan Peres Jepchirchir, after winning the 50th edition of the New York marathon, November 7, 2021 ELSA GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / AFP

"I felt something that I have never felt before finishing a marathon. I don't know where the energy came from. Thank God it came to me in the last minutes," he said. she confided.

Jepchirchir, who succeeds another Kenyan, Joyciline Jepkosgei, is the first reigning Olympic gold medalist to win the New York marathon, which this year had some 30,000 participants.

© 2021 AFP