Gebremariam, the 2009 world cross country champion, ran with
easy grace through the last hilly stretch in Central Park to pull away from
Emmanuel Mutai for a comfortable win in two hours eight minutes 14 seconds.
"I'm so happy here for my first time,"
Gebremariam, 26, told reporters. "My first marathon and I'm No.1
here." Kiplagat, winner of this year's Los Angeles Marathon, also waited
until the latter stages in Central Park to use her strong stride to claim
victory in 2:28:20.
American Shalane Flanagan and Mary Keitany of Kenya, both
running their maiden marathons, followed Kiplagat over the finish line.
Flanagan, the Olympic 10,000 meters bronze medallist,
clocked 2:28:40 with world half-marathon champion Keitany a further 21 seconds
adrift.
Mutai, also runner-up in London, finished more than a minute
behind Gebremariam in 2:09:18 in the men's race, with Moses Kigen Kipkosgei of
Kenya taking third place in 2:10:39.
Ethiopian world record holder Haile Gebrselassie, 37, pulled
out of the race after the halfway stage because of problems with his right knee.
He later announced he was retiring after an illustrious
career which included two Olympic 10,000 meters gold medals and 27 world
records.
Gebrselassie said he was stepping away to make room for the
youngsters, and the day was ruled by Gebremariam, the first marathon debutant
to win the New York race since New Zealander Rod Dixon in 1983. He shared the
podium with Mutai, 26, and Kipkosgei, 27.
"New York is New York," a smiling Gebremariam said
at the finish line. "It's so special for me, even just to finish only. I'm
so happy. So, so happy. Nobody expected for me to win." Both the men's and
women's races followed similar patterns with the lead packs thick with runners
for most of the first half of the 42.195 kms test that began in windy and
chilly conditions for the more than 45,000 runners taking part.
One of the most keenly watched among the multitudes was
another debutant, rescued Chilean miner Edison Pena, who ran and walked the
distance, putting ice packs on both knees as he made his way through the five
boroughs to tremendous cheers. Pena finished in 5:40:51.
The races boiled down to three runners in each field, with
the winners decided during the last Central Park stages.
"I had to wait to the final moments," Kiplagat
said. "I waited until there was a little flat and put in more effort and I
was happy to pull away from them," she said.
