Kenyan Sweep 2022 New York Marathon

Kenya stood atop the podium of the 2022 New York Marathon, which brought together some 50,000 runners. Evans Chebet won the men’s race and Sharon Lokedi the women’s, both athletes making their debuts.

Chebet, 33, who won the Boston Marathon earlier this year, won the crown in neighboring New York by beating Brazilian runner Daniel Do Nascimento on the track as they crossed the bridge into Manhattan. Chebet finished in 2 hours, 8 minutes and 41 seconds, 13 seconds ahead of second-place finisher Shura Kitata of Ethiopia.

On an unusually warm day, Chebet led by nearly 2 minutes for most of the race. The Brazilian exited the competition after collapsing at kilometer 32, due to dehydration and cramps. Chebet said he saw Do Nascimento fall but kept running.

“He knew it was hot and humid and (Do Nascimento) was going very fast. I felt bad for him, but he had to keep running. He has a lot of experience and I knew I was going to beat him,” Chebet said.

Temperatures surpass the previous record set in 1993. It was an unusually warm day in New York with a temperature of 23°C in Central Park at 11:00 am, just before the elite runners completed the course. That made it the hottest race since the marathon was moved to November 1986. The November average for New York City is 9 degrees Celsius.

As for the women’s branch, it was Sharon Lokedi’s first marathon and she finished in 2:23:23 just ahead of Israel’s Lonah Chemtai Salpeter. Lokedi, 28, was in a close race before moving ahead of Chemtai Salpeter in the final two miles to win by seven seconds, around 50 seconds off the race record.

This was the first time the marathon had returned to full capacity since the pandemic.

deportes@eleconomista.mx