Evans Chebet of Kenya won the New York City Marathon men’s race and Sharon Lokedi of Kenya won the women’s race Sunday, both of them making a splash in their debuts.
Daniel Do Nascimento, who had been leading the entire men’s race, collapsed 21 miles in. Chebet finished in 2 hours, 8 minutes and 41 seconds, which was 13 seconds ahead of second-place finisher Shura Kitata of Ethiopia.
Do Nascimento got out to a fast start on a unseasonably warm day and led by nearly 2 minutes for most of the race. The Brazilian collapsed at Mile 21, right before he got back into Manhattan, and was attended to by medical professionals. A few miles earlier, he had taken a quick 20-second bathroom break.
Chebet, 33, pulled away from the pack chasing Do Nascimento as they headed over the bridge into Manhattan for the first time. After Do Nascimento’s collapse, Chebet took the lead and never was threatened the rest of the way. Chebet won the Boston Marathon earlier this year.
It was Lokedi’s first-ever marathon and she finished in 2 hours, 23 minutes and 23 seconds — just ahead of Lonah Chemtai Salpeter of Israel. The 28-year-old Lokedi was in a tight race before she pulled ahead of Chemtai Salpeter in the final two miles to win by seven seconds and finish about 50 seconds off the course record.
