Kenyan marathon runner Evans Chebet took the first prize at the New York Marathon on Sunday.
Ethiopia’s Shura Kitata took second place with Dutch runner Abdi Nageeye completing the top three.
By winning the mythical event in New York, Chebet validated the first grand slam in history for a nation on the world circuit: Kenyans have won all six events on the programme in 2022.
Evans Chebet, who won in Boston, took two of them, as did Eliud Kipchoge, who won in Tokyo (6 March) and Berlin (25 September).
Amos Kipruto in London (2 October) and Benson Kipruto in Chicago (9 October) complete an outstanding record.
Earlier, in the women’s race, it was Sharon Lokedi, also from Kenya, who created the first sensation of the day, as she won in 2 hours 23 minutes and 23 seconds, in her very first race over the distance.
At 28 years old, she took the best time at the finish in Central Park over Israeli Lonah Chemtai Salpeter.
Lokedi succeeds her compatriot Peres Jepchirchir, gold medallist at the 2021 Tokyo Olympic Games.
Chebet’s victory means Kenyan men have won all six of the major city marathons this year. As well as Chebet’s title in Boston, Eliud Kipchoge won in Tokyo and Berlin, Amos Kipruto won in London and Benson Kipruto won in Chicago.
