Top two and we ain’t two! Kenyan athletes Peres Jepchirchir and Albert Korir did their thing at the 2021 New York City Marathon. Both finished the highly-anticipated race in first place on Sunday, November 7. According to CNN, Peres secured her win in the women’s competition and Albert snagged his in the men’s.
For those who don’t know, the marathon is reportedly a 26.2-mile run through New York City’s five boroughs: Staten Island, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx and Manhattan. Runners begin on Staten Island and end at Central Park. The event attracted about 30,000 people just in time for its 50th New York Marathon.
Last year’s race was cancelled given the impact of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. Organizers behind the 2021 marathon implemented several procedures to minimize risks of spreading the deadly virus, including sharing vaccine information and requiring face coverings.
Twenty-eight-year-old Peres competed in the marathon for the first time this year, so her win had folks shook. She now holds two major wins. Peres is the first runner to have an Olympic gold medal and win the New York City marathon. She secured her winning place in “2 hours, 22 minutes and 39 seconds.”
“I thank my God for the energy he has given me,” Peres said following her victory. “I’m going to say this course is not bad, but it’s not easy” especially the finish.
Albert also came in hot with an impressive time of “2 hours, 8 minutes and 22 seconds.” He competed at the 2019 marathon with a close call of second place.
Black excellence was definitely on display. While Peres snatched first place, fellow Kenyan racer came in seconds behind her. Ababel Yeshaneh, from Ethiopia, claimed third place in “2 hours, 22 minutes and 52 seconds.”
When this marathon started in 1970, the cost to enter was just $1. It saw 127 registered participants, but ended with only 55 people crossing the finish line. Now, 50 years later, athletes fly in from all over the world to flex their skills!
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