ING New York City Marathon 2010
Pic 1 - Gebremariam said, “Before the race I thought I would be happy to finish. To win makes me very happy! It’s my first marathon, and I’m Number One here!”
The total number of registration for this race was 45,344, all running the 42.195km run. Gebre Gebremariam of Ethiopia and Kenyan Edna Kiplagat, who were top runners but not favourites to win the race, won the men open and women open race, respectively. It was Gebremariam's first ever marathon run. He ran excellently in the New York race with a perfect day, pace, time and temperature. He did not stand out at the early part of the race. The temperature was around 10 degrees centigrade and a little more as the race progressed over time.
At the first 8km it was Meb Keflezighi from USA leading the pack of elite marathon runners. At the 17km mark, Haile was seen leading the marathoners. Over time, at the half-marathon point, Haile Gebrselassie brought the group of 20 to a 1hr 05min 19sec pace. After a while, while going downhill near Queensboro Bridge, around the 16mile mark, Gebrselassie, who was suspected to have right knee injury during the race, slowed and later pulled over to the right.
Over time, Kenyan Emmanuel Mutai started to push the pace with a sting at 17th mile, reducing the group to eight, dropping 2009 winner Meb Keflezighi from USA to nearly tenth position. At 18th Mile, it was then between Gebremariam, Emmanuel Mutai, Abderrahime Bouramdane of Morocco, and Kenyan James Kwambai.
After 21st mile, Mutai and Gebremariam moved away from the rest of the pack until they reached the 40km mark, where Gebremariam opened up the gap further from Emmanuel Mutai. Finally, he won the race in 2hr 08min 14sec in his very first race. It is a well known fact that Gebre Gebremaniam had won 2009 World Cross Country Race in the past.
Coming back to this race, with few hundred metres to go, it was a second and third for Kenyan Emmanuel Mutai and fellow countrymen Moses Kigen Kipkosgei doing a time of 2hr 09min 18sec and 2hr 10min 39sec, respectively. Morocco's Abderrahim Goumri overtook Kwambai and ended fourth in 2hr 10min 51sec. Kwambai was fifth in 2hr 11min 31sec, and Meb Keflezighi from USA ended a respectable sixth in 2hr 11min 38sec, after falling back earlier on, during the last few miles of the race.
Edna Kiplagat wins the women's race
Pic 2- Winner Kiplagat said, " In the 24th mile, I tried to put more effort, and I found I was pulling away."
The women’s race began with a group of 20 running together. The number of runners running in the front group reduced over time. At the 12km mark, it was Daunay from France leading the pack. Derartu Tulu and Erkesso, both runners were hot on Daunay's heels. Somewhere at the midpoint, the group of top runners did 1hr 15min 47sec. At the 21st mile, there were about 12 runners packed, making it hard to predict who will become the ultimate champion. It was anybody's game and Derartu Tulu from Ethiopia was not in sight to win at this point.
Mary Keitany (KEN) and Shalane Flanagan (USA) made some sudden and surprising surges during the run and that brought the group down to three runners only. Edna Kiplagat was patiently holding on to third position. With about two miles to go, Shalane Flanagan opened up a five-metre momentary lead. Later, with fatigue setting in, she dropped back to third position.
Mustering courage, Kiplagat surprised everyone by moving ahead of the two runner confidently. She increased the pace towards the end of the race and finished the race in a time of 2hr 28min 20sec. While Flanagan was finishing the race, she overtook Keitany to come in second position with a time of 2hr 28min 40sec. Keitany ended third with a time of 2hr 29min 01sec. Inga Abitova of Russia was fourth with a time of 2hr 29min 17sec, with Kim Smith of New Zealand doing 2hrs 29min 28sec, and Christelle Daunay fo France doing 2hr 29min 29sec.
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