With a dramatic surge in the final mile, Hellen Obiri of Kenya claimed the women’s title at Sunday’s New York City Marathon in a time of 2:19:51, smashing the course record by an astounding two minutes and 40 seconds. Obiri also won here in 2023.

They turned onto Central Park South side by side until Obiri made her huge move.

Sharon Lokedi, also of Kenya, had no response to Obiri’s move on Central Park South and finished second in 2:20:07. Lokedi, the 2018 10000-metre champion while at the University of Kansas, won here in 2021 in her debut. At Boston in April, she outkicked Obiri for the win and broke the Boston Marathon course record by more than two minutes. Defending champion Sheila Chepkirui placed third in 2:20:04.

Last year’s Olympic gold medalist, Sifan Hassan of the Netherlands, was also dropped for good at the 28km mark. She finished sixth in 2:24:43, nine weeks after winning the Sydney Marathon.

One prerace storyline was whether the course record of 2:22:31, set by Margaret Okayo in 2003, would finally fall. The impetus to do so would likely come from runners such as Chepkirui and Lokedi, who would want to be well free of Hassan and her unmatchable finish sprint. This approach made that much more sense given that Hassan was likely still feeling the effects of her Sydney victory.

Chepkirui was the first to act on that strategy, running the eighth and ninth kilometres at a 3:18 pace, before settling back into a 3:24 per kilometre groove. The real first move came from O’Keeffe, who pushed to a 3:15 19th kilometre. Chepkirui kept the momentum going through a halfway split of 1:11:01, with Hassan five seconds back. The push continued to the 22nd kilometre, except for Hassan, who ran even faster to slowly reattach herself to the back of the pack. O’Keeffe was holding her own amid the previous three New York City winners and the reigning Olympic champion.

Then came the Queensboro Bridge. Hassan lost touch during the uphill 24th kilometre, and then O’Keeffe was dropped as Chepkirui pushed to a 3:12 25th kilometre – a slightly downhill kilometre, but still! The lead trio of Chepkirui, Obiri, and Lokedi were now on a low 2:21 marathon pace.

Yet during the slightly downhill 27th kilometre on First Avenue, which is often the fastest of the race, the lead trio kept things moderate, with a 3:17 split. That allowed the persistent O’Keeffe to rejoin them and never-say-die Hassan to cut her gap behind them to only five seconds. Hassan rejoined the quartet thanks to a 3:17 for the 28th kilometre.

Chepkirui pushed again after the 30km hydration station, and this time O’Keeffe and Hassan were gone for good. The other significant event then was that, on the Willis Avenue Bridge in the 32nd kilometre, Lokedi moved ever so slightly to the lead for the first time.

The lead trio ran together until Lokedi pushed on the long downhill in the 40th kilometre, which dropped Chepkirui. Obiri tucked in, staring at the small of Lokedi’s back, hoping to be able to hang on for the sprint, while Lokedi had her head up, looking down the road.

After a 3:09 40th kilometre, the pair exited the park. Obiri pulled even on Fifth Avenue. They turned onto Central Park South side by side until Obiri made her huge move. Obiri earned $150 000 for her efforts. $100 000 for the win and $50 000 for breaking the course record.

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