Kenyans dominate titles in NYC Marathon

Mary Keitany finished in 2 hours, 24 minutes, 25 seconds in the race on Sunday, becoming the first women to win back-to-back New York Marathon titles since Britain's Paula Radcliffe in 2008.

The 33-year-old pulled away from the pack around the 21-mile mark and finished 67 seconds ahead of Ethiopia's Aselefech Mergia. This year's London marathon winner, Tigist Tufa of Ethiopia, took third place.

Keitany is the eighth woman to win the New York Marathon more than once.

Stanley Biwott, 29, finished the run in 2:10:34, beating fellow Kenyan Geoffrey Kamworor by 14 seconds. It was Biwott's first major marathon title of his career after placing fourth in London earlier this year.

"The pace was slow, but the last three miles I pushed it up," he said after crossing the finishing line.

This year's Boston Marathon winner Lelisa Desisa finished in third place, while defending champion Wilson Kipsang came in fourth.

More than 50,000 runners are expected to finish the 45th running of NYC Marathon, completing the 26.2 miles (42 kilometers) through the city's five boroughs.

In the marathon wheelchair course, American Tatyana McFadden shattered the women's record as she claimed four major marathons - Boston, London, Chicago and New York - for the third straight year.

The 26-year-old finished in 1:43:04, well ahead of the previous record of 1:50:24 set by Amanda McGrory in 2011.

Ernst Van Dyk of South Africa won his second NYC Marathon title in the men's wheelchair race after finishing runner-up the last two years. He beat American Josh George by just one second.

Defending champion Kurt Fearnley of Australia fell out of his chair early in the race and came in fifth.

nm/jm (Reuters, AP, AFP, dpa)