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A20 SPORTS
Monday 6 noveMber 2017

Flanagan upsets Keitany, ends US drought at NYC Marathon

By JAKE SEINER she said.
AP Sports Writer Keitany never found her
NEW YORK (AP) — Shalane top gear Sunday, though,
Flanagan thought about and finished with her slow-
the seven years building to est New York time since a
this race, possibly her last. third-place result in 2010.
She thought about the run- Keitany said she had a
ning star striding next to problem of a personal na-
her. She thought about her ture Saturday afternoon
family. She thought about that affected her Sunday,
Meb. but she would not disclose
With one hellacious holler the issue.
at the finish, it all poured Flanagan held a stern look
out. on the course until getting
Flanagan dethroned Mary emotional near the finish in
Keitany on Sunday and Central Park. On the podi-
became the first American um, she put her hands over
woman to win the New face and began to cry
York City Marathon since again when she was an-
1977, potentially ending nounced the winner. She
her decorated career with turned to hug Keitany be-
her first major marathon fore accepting her medal.
victory. Men’s race winner Geoffrey Kamworor, of Kenya, and women’s race winner Shalane Flanagan, of “This is the moment I’ve
Flanagan’s breakthrough the United States, pose together after the New York City Marathon, Sunday, Nov. 5, 2017, in New dreamed of since I was a
came in the last career York. little girl,” Flanagan said.
race for American great (AP Photo/Jason DeCrow) She’s determined to pass
Meb Keflezighi. The 2009 tan killed eight and raised way, hovering behind her to win New York was Miki on that dream, too. She
New York winner col- questions about security for during an unusually slow Gorman, who took con- and husband Steven Ed-
lapsed at the finish line, his Sunday. That hit home for first 20 miles by the lead secutive titles in 1976-77. wards — a former track
42-year-old body pushed Flanagan, a Massachusetts women. “Way too long,” Flanagan and field star — have been
to its limit in his 26th mara- native who completed Flanagan, Keitany and said. fostering two teenage
thon. Keflezighi finished the 2013 Boston Marathon third-place finisher Mamitu Flanagan knows about daughters who are also as-
11th, about five minutes shortly before a bomb Daska of Ethiopia broke long waits. She finished piring runners. Flanagan’s
behind 24-year-old winner went off at the finish line, from the pack in the 21st second here in her de- parents were also mara-
Geoffrey Kamworor of Ke- killing three and wounding mile, and with about three but marathon in 2010 but thoners, and her mom,
nya.This may have been more than 260 others. miles left, Flanagan hit hadn’t run New York since. Cheryl Treworgy, once
Flanagan’s final race, too, “It’s been a tough week for the jets. She finished in 2 It was also her first mara- held the world record.
although the four-time New Yorkers, and a tough hours, 26 minutes, 53 sec- thon since finishing sixth at “This means a lot to me, to
Olympian wasn’t ready to week for our nation,” Fla- onds, about a minute fast- the Rio Games. She frac- my family,” Flanagan said.
commit. But she likes the nagan said. “I thought of, er than Keitany.Flanagan tured her lower back last “And hopefully inspires the
idea of her and Keflezighi ‘What a better gift than to cried and yelled as she winter and missed the Bos- next generation of Ameri-
going out together. make Americans smile to- approached the finish line ton Marathon in the spring. can women to just be
“I was thinking of Meb, day?’” without another runner in She was “heartbroken” to patient.”Kamworor beat
and I was thinking of how Flanagan ended a domi- sight. miss her hometown race, countryman Wilson Kip-
I wanted to make him nant stretch in New York by “It’s indescribable,” the but the injury set her up to sang by three seconds, win-
proud,” Flanagan said. Keitany, a Kenyan runner 36-year-old said. “It’s a mo- take aim at Keitany in New ning with a time of 2:10:53.
Her win came five days who had won here three ment I’m trying to soak up York.Flanagan had called Kamworor separated from
after the bike path terror straight years. Flanagan and savor.” Keitany “the alpha racer” the pack late and seemed
attack in lower Manhat- stalked Keitany most of the The last American woman and said she was ready to like he would cruise to his
“suffer dearly” while keep- first major marathon vic-
ing pace with the unpre- tory, but Kipsang sneaked
dictable Kenyan. As she up on him at the very end.
went stride-for-stride with Kamworor was surprised to
Keitany in the middle miles, see the 2014 New York win-
Flanagan wasn’t sure what ner behind him on a large
she’d have for the final video board located near
stretch. the finish line.
“There’s always creeping “I look at the camera, I
doubts of whether I was saw someone was com-
budgetaruba@setarnet.aw going to have enough to ing, which was Wilson,” Ka-
beat the best in the world,” mworor said. q