FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
USA's Shalane Flanagan, Kenya's Geoffrey Kamworor, and Switzerland's
Marcel Hug and Manuela Schär Win 2017 TCS New York City Marathon Titles
Flanagan, an NYRR Team for Kids Ambassador and Olympic medalist, becomes
first woman to win the race in 40 years, with second-fastest ever time by
an American woman
Kamworor takes first major marathon title in men's open division, while Hug
and Schär complete Swiss sweep in wheelchair division
New York, November 5, 2017 - The USA's Shalane Flanagan ended a 40-year
drought for American women in the open division at the 2017 TCS New York
City Marathon on Sunday, November 5, while Kenya's Geoffrey Kamworor took
the men's title and Marcel Hug and Manuela Schär completed a Swiss sweep in
the wheelchair division.
Flanagan, an NYRR Team for Kids Ambassador who finished as the runner-up at
the 2010 New York City Marathon, seized the crown from Kenya's Mary Keitany
with a time of 2:26:53.
The 36-year-old became the first U.S. female runner to win the world's
largest marathon since Miki Gorman in 1977. With her first victory in just
her second appearance at the New York City Marathon, she became the sixth
U.S. women's champion in the event and recorded the second-fastest time by
a U.S. woman after Kara Goucher.
"I've dreamed of a moment like this since I was a little girl," Flanagan
said through tears after the race. "So this means a lot to me, to my family
and hopefully inspires the next generation of American women to just be
patient. These are the moments that we dream of as athletes, and this is
going to feel good for a really long time."
The 16-time national champion and Olympic silver medalist was visibly
emotional as she approached the finish line.
Keitany, who finished with a time of 2:27:54, was chasing history of her
own. The 35-year-old was attempting to join Grete Waitz as the only woman
to win at least four New York Marathons in a row.
Ethiopia's Mamitu Daska placed third with a time of 2:28:08.
Kamworor claimed his first major marathon victory when he held off
compatriot Wilson Kipsang down the final turns in Central Park.
The 2015 New York City runner-up, Kamworor, 24, separated himself from the
field with a 4:31 penultimate mile to finish in 2:10:53. Kipsang finished
soon after in 2:10:56, while Lelisa Desisa of Ethiopia took third in
2:11:32.
"2015 was my first time running the TCS New York City Marathon, and I found
the course very exciting and very nice," Kamworor said. "There are many
people to cheer on, so it keeps a lot of motivation. So for me today, I
knew that it's really a nice course, and I knew that there's enough
support.
"For me, I knew that I had made a decisive move, and I was focusing on the
finish line. But when I look at the camera, I saw someone was coming, which
was Wilson, and I had to believe in myself because I was holding out for
the finish. So I had to do my best to make sure that I won."
Marathon legend and NYRR Team for Kids Ambassador Meb Kelfezighi, the only
person to have won the New York City Marathon, Boston Marathon and an
Olympic medal, finished 11th in the 26th and final marathon of his
professional career.
"It was a beautiful victory lap, you could say, to be up at the front and
mix it up with all the great runners that New York runners provide here and
set the stage for us," Kelfezighi said. "I gave it all that I had today.
New York came out to support me, all the runners, 50,000 deep. I was
honored to be here and to get this special medal, number 26."
Earlier in the day, for the first time in five years, change has arrived
atop the women's professional wheelchair podium.
Switzerland's Schär was the first person to cross the finish line, ending
American Tatyana McFadden's streak of four consecutive victories at the
event. Schär's time of 1:48:09 gave her a fourth major marathon victory
this year; she already won in Boston, London, and Berlin.
"I actually had a different plan this morning," Schär said. "I decided not
to be more patient than I was in races before so I wouldn't lose too much
energy before the hills. Something pushed me, though, so I just tried to
attack, and I attacked strong. So I think that was the key today."
Schär had finished runner-up three years in New York before finally
upending McFadden, who finished in 1:51:02.
"I really need a moment, because this is just too much right now. It's just
amazing, and I'm more happy because it's the last race of the season and
it's New York. I mean, what would you want more? It's been the perfect
year."
American Amanda McGrory, a seven-time Paralympic medalist who won two New
York City Marathons previously, finished third in 1:53:11.
Last year's men's wheelchair race was decided by a whisker. Someone had to
alert Marcel Hug after the race that he had won. On Sunday, the "Swiss
Silver Bullet" took first with plenty of time to spare, finishing in
1:37:21 to claim his second consecutive victory and third in five years in
New York. The victory marks his fourth major win of the year, having
already won in Boston, Berlin, and Chicago.
"It's amazing," Hug said. "It was my last race this year, and to finish a
season like that is just amazing."
John Charles Smith of Great Britain finished in second with a time of
1:39:40 - 2:19 seconds behind Hug.
With the Swiss sweep, Schär and Hug represent the first time in the history
of the wheelchair division that two people from the same country have been
champions.
"I always wonder, when I cross the finish line, 'Who won the men's race?"
Schär said. "To hear that it's Marcel from Switzerland, it makes it
sweeter."
About the TCS New York City Marathon
The TCS New York City Marathon is the premier event of New York Road
Runners (NYRR) and the largest marathon in the world. Over 1,000,000 people
have finished the race since its first running in 1970 with just 127
entrants and 55 finishers running four laps around Central Park. The race
expanded to all five boroughs in 1976 and just celebrated its 40th year as
a five-borough affair. Held annually on the first Sunday of November, the
race features over 50,000 runners including the world's top professional
athletes and a vast range of competitive, recreational, and charity
runners. Participants from approximately 125 countries tour the city,
starting on Staten Island at the foot of the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge and
running through the neighborhoods of Brooklyn, Queens, and the Bronx before
ending in Manhattan. The NYRR Youth Invitational at the TCS New York City
Marathon covered 1.8 miles of the race course in Central Park, beginning
near mile 24 and finishing at the famed TCS New York City Marathon finish
line. More than one million spectators and thousands of volunteers line the
city streets in support of the runners, while millions more watch the
television broadcast in 175 countries and territories, including viewers in
the New York area on WABC-TV, Channel 7, nationally on ESPN2, and via
various international broadcast partners. The race is part of the Abbott
World Marathon Majors, which features the world's top marathons-Tokyo,
Boston, London, Berlin, Chicago, and New York-and crowns the top
professional male and female marathoners each year. Tata Consultancy
Services (TCS), a leading global IT services, consulting, and business
solutions organization, is the premier partner of NYRR and the title
sponsor of the TCS New York City Marathon. The 47th running of the TCS New
York City Marathon is set for November 5, 2017. To learn more, visit
www.tcsnycmarathon.org.
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