Kenya’s Geoffrey Kamworor pulled away from compatriot Albert Korir with four kilometres to recapture his New York Marathon title on Sunday.
The three-time World Half Marathon champion, clocked 2 hours, 08 minutes and 13 seconds to wrap up his double, having won at the course in 2017 in 2:10:53.
Korir, who won this year’s Houston Marathon in February and Ottawa Marathon in May, came in second in 2:08:36 as Girma Bekele Gebre from Ethiopia claimed the last podium place in 2:08:38.
The men’s race was so competitive that a pack of 11 athletes battled deep into the last 12 kilometres with Korir leading the pack in 1:32:25.
The pack hit 10km at 30:32 and 15km in 45:43 before Bekele led through halfway in a pack of 10 athletes in 1:04:50. Korir and Kamworor led through 30km in 1:32:25.
However, it dropped to a pack of five with Bekele briefly taking charge past the 35km mark in 1:49:34 with Kamworor, Korir and Ethiopians Tamirat Tola and Shura Kitata in tow.
It was thereafter that Korir and Kamworor asserted their presence to break away from the Ethiopians heading into the last four kilometres.
It’s Kamworor, who led the way past the 38km in 1:57:59 as Korir drifted behind with six seconds.
