Geoffrey Mutai from Kenya (Photo: AP)
Mutai finished in an unofficial time of 2 hours, 5 minutes, 6 seconds Sunday, crushing the previous mark of 2:07:43 set by Tesfaye Jifar of Ethiopia a decade earlier.
The 30-year-old has established himself as the favorite at next summer’s Olympics after two landmark performances this year.
In April, he ran the fastest 26.2 miles in history: 2:03:02 in Boston. It didn’t count as a world record because the course is considered too straight and too downhill.
The second- and third-place finishers Sunday also broke the old course record. Fellow Kenyan Emmanuel Mutai (no relation), the London Marathon champ, was 1:22 back. Tsegaye Kebede of Ethiopia was third.
Dado back
Firehiwot Dado of Ethiopia has won the New York City Marathon in a stunning comeback.
Dado trailed London Marathon champ Mary Keitany by nearly 2 1/2 minutes at the 15-mile mark but passed her with about a mile left for her first major marathon victory. The 27-year-old Dado won in an unofficial time of 2 hours, 23, minutes 15 seconds—almost a minute better than her previous personal best.
Fellow Ethiopian Buzunesh Deba, who lives in the Bronx, was second for her first podium finish at a major marathon, four seconds back.
Keitany was third, 24 seconds back. The Kenyan was well under course-record pace for much of the race but faded badly over the final miles.
Short link: