When world record holder Haile Gebrselassie dropped out of the New York City Marathon just more than halfway through, it opened the door for a different man from Ethiopia to grab the stage and Gebre Gebremariam took advantage.
Gebremariam, 26, made his splash in his marathon debut, using a devastating finishing kick he developed at shorter distances to finish first in 2 hours, 8.14 minutes. He had come into the final miles in Central Park neck-and-neck with Emmanuel Mutai of Kenya but put the race away in strong fashion.
Edna Kiplagat of Kenya made a similarly devastating move in Central Park to grab the women’s title in 2:28.20. Surging to a second place finish in her marathon debut was American Shalane Flanagan, who finished in 2:28.40.
The marathon kicked off with a record field of 45,344 runners and played out on a beautifu, if a bit brisk, Sunday morning that dawned with temperatures in the 30s.
It was the perfect setting for the biggest race ever and headlined by the biggest name in distance running, Gebrselassie, and defending champion Meb Keflezighi, who last year became the first American to win the New York City Marathon since 1982. But Gebrselassie, who came in battling a knee injury, dropped out on the Queensboro Bridge.
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Check back for updates on the scene in all five boroughs, the celebrity runners and of course, the newest celebrity, rescued Chilean miner Edison Pena.
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