Dethroning Kenyan long distance runner Mary Keitany by a minute on Sunday, Shalane Flanagan became the first American woman to win the New York City Marathon since 1977, finishing in with a time of 2 hours, 26 minutes, 53 seconds.
The 36-year-old Nike athlete — who crossed the finish line in red and black sneakers — came in second in 2010 in her first NYC marathon, but hadn’t run the race since.
Earlier this year, a lower back fracture kept Flanagan from running the Boston Marathon, but the Olympic silver medalist trained hard for today with her eye on Keitany, who had won three straight New York marathons.
The last American woman to finish first in New York was Miki Gorman, who won consecutive titles in 1976 and 1977.
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As for the men’s competition, Geoffrey Kamworor of Kenya ran the race in 2:10:53, wearing black and white Nike kicks. Holding off fellow Kenyan Wilson Kipsang by three seconds, today marks the 24-year-old’s first major victory at the marathon.
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