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Kenyans dominate the New York Marathon in the U.S.
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Kenya's Peres Jepchirchir wins the New York Marathon women's race on November 7, 2021. /AFP

Kenya's Peres Jepchirchir wins the New York Marathon women's race on November 7, 2021. /AFP

Kenyan men and women athletes showed their track supremacy during Sunday's New York Marathon with Peres Jepchirchir and Viola Cheptoo finishing first and second in the women's pro race.

Jepchirchir, the Olympic gold medalist in the marathon at the Tokyo Games, and Cheptoo took their neck-and-neck battle into Central Park, where Jepchirchir turned on the speed, becoming the first to win Olympic gold and the New York City Marathon in the same year. 

Jepchirchir finished in a time of 2 hours 22 minutes 39 seconds, Cheptoo in 2:22:44. Ethiopia's Ababel Yeshaneh was third in 2:22:52. Molly Seidel, the Olympic bronze medalist from the United States, finished fourth in 2:24:42.

In the men's division Albert Korir clinched the top position finishing in a time of 2 hours 8 minutes 22 seconds. 

Moroccan Mohammed El Aaraby finished second in 2:09:06, about 44 seconds off the pace, and Eyob Faniel of Italy was third in 2:09:52. Elkanah Kibet was the top American finisher, placing fourth in 2:11:15. 

Two years ago, the previous time the race was held as an in-person event, Korir came in second in 2:08:36 behind winner Geoffrey Kamworor (2:08:13).

Korir, a 27-year-old from Kenya, has now won four marathons, with his previous victory coming in 2019 at the Ottawa Marathon. He also won the Houston Marathon that year and won in Vienna in 2017. Sunday's victory is his first in a World Marathon Major.

(With input from agencies)

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