NYC Marathon: Priscah Jeptoo, Geoffrey Mutai of Kenya win women's and men's titles
In wake of Boston Marathon bombing earlier this year, police officers were 'everywhere' on Sunday morning, several race fans told The News.
By Simone Weichselbaum AND Daniel Beekman / NEW YORK DAILY NEWS
Published: Sunday, November 3, 2013, 10:47 AM
Updated: Sunday, November 3, 2013, 11:58 AM
LUCAS JACKSON/REUTERS
A runner carrying the U.S. flag and wearing a T-shirt that says 'Boston
Strong' crosses the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge during the marathon.
Priscah Jeptoo and Geoffrey Mutai have won the women’s and men’s titles
in the New York City Marathon in its triumphant return after a 1-year
hiatus.
The two Kenyans waved their flag in celebration while thousands cheered in Central Park.
Jeptoo, 29, overtook Bronx resident Deba Buzunesh with an impressive final kick and sped across the finish line to thunderous applause, clocking in at 2 hours, 25 minutes and 7 seconds for the grueling 26.2-mile race.
Buzunesh, 26, finished second for the second straight time, having claimed No. 2 in 2011 as well.
Mutai, 32, ran away with the men’s crown, powering through the home stretch amid autumn coliage to break the tape at 2:08:24.
Nearly 50,000 runners are making their way through the five boroughs — with tenfold that number of fans and security officials lining the route to ensure safety.
Police officers were “everywhere,” several race fans told the Daily News, with foot patrols on many street corners in response to the bombings at the Boston Marathon earlier this year.
But tight security or not, marathon mavens said they were thrilled to welcome the runners back after missing out in 2012.
Last year, officials canceled the mammoth event due to the havoc wreaked by Superstorm Sandy.
“My cousin said, ‘Why are you going? Look what happened in Boston,’”
said Jackie Morrison, 49, a tourist visiting from London, said. “I said,
‘This is here. This is now. You can’t be scared.”
Morrison, like others cheering on contenders in the 26.2-mile road race, said she loves the beloved event for its “atmosphere.”
The 43-year-old marathon, which kicked off in 1970 with just 127 participants, now attracts competitors from around the world and boasts a live television audience of 330 million people.
“It’s energetic, and the wheelchair athletes are so inspiring,” Morrison gushed, looking on as American competitor Tatyana McFadden completed a historic marathon “Grand Slam.”
McFadden won the women’s wheelchair race after also triumphing in the London, Boston and Chicago marathons earlier this year. No other athlete has won those four races in the same year. The 24-year-old Maryland resident, who was born with a spinal defect and left at a Russian orphanage as a baby, was adopted by an American family.
She also won the 2010 New York City Marathon.
Maria Murphy, 55, journeyed from Toms River, N.J., where she survived her own scare last year: Hurricane Sandy.
“There is electricity in the air. No one is fearful. There are police all over the place,” said Murphy, wearing a “Restore the Shore” sweatshirt.
“What should you be scared about?” added Richard Lindo, 58, from Bedford-Stuyvesant. “Just because something happened in Boston, doesn’t mean it will happen here.”
With Gersh Kuntzman
The two Kenyans waved their flag in celebration while thousands cheered in Central Park.
Jeptoo, 29, overtook Bronx resident Deba Buzunesh with an impressive final kick and sped across the finish line to thunderous applause, clocking in at 2 hours, 25 minutes and 7 seconds for the grueling 26.2-mile race.
Buzunesh, 26, finished second for the second straight time, having claimed No. 2 in 2011 as well.
Mutai, 32, ran away with the men’s crown, powering through the home stretch amid autumn coliage to break the tape at 2:08:24.
Nearly 50,000 runners are making their way through the five boroughs — with tenfold that number of fans and security officials lining the route to ensure safety.
Police officers were “everywhere,” several race fans told the Daily News, with foot patrols on many street corners in response to the bombings at the Boston Marathon earlier this year.
Last year, officials canceled the mammoth event due to the havoc wreaked by Superstorm Sandy.
PETER FOLEY/EPA
Even the runners themselves were checked by police before the start of the New York City Marathon Sunday.
Morrison, like others cheering on contenders in the 26.2-mile road race, said she loves the beloved event for its “atmosphere.”
The 43-year-old marathon, which kicked off in 1970 with just 127 participants, now attracts competitors from around the world and boasts a live television audience of 330 million people.
“It’s energetic, and the wheelchair athletes are so inspiring,” Morrison gushed, looking on as American competitor Tatyana McFadden completed a historic marathon “Grand Slam.”
McFadden won the women’s wheelchair race after also triumphing in the London, Boston and Chicago marathons earlier this year. No other athlete has won those four races in the same year. The 24-year-old Maryland resident, who was born with a spinal defect and left at a Russian orphanage as a baby, was adopted by an American family.
She also won the 2010 New York City Marathon.
Maria Murphy, 55, journeyed from Toms River, N.J., where she survived her own scare last year: Hurricane Sandy.
“There is electricity in the air. No one is fearful. There are police all over the place,” said Murphy, wearing a “Restore the Shore” sweatshirt.
“What should you be scared about?” added Richard Lindo, 58, from Bedford-Stuyvesant. “Just because something happened in Boston, doesn’t mean it will happen here.”
With Gersh Kuntzman
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