Nageeye celebrates glittering success in New York

Abdi Nageeye turned Central Park orange as he became the first ever Dutch athlete in history to clinch victory in the TCS New York City Marathon with a herculean performance in the Big Apple.

Unleashing a blistering finish in the final 400m, the 2020 Olympic marathon silver medallist accelerated clear of Kenyan Evans Chebet to take the honours in 2:07:39 and claim his maiden Abbott World Marathon Majors success.

Victory is rich reward for Nageeye who set a national record of 2:04:45 when winning the Rotterdam Marathon in April but who then suffered the disappointment of an unfortunate DNF in the Paris Olympic Marathon in August. His NN Running Team teammate Geoffrey Kamworor, the 2017 and 2019 champion, finished fifth in 2:08:50. 

Nageeye, who became the first European to win the men’s race in the Big Apple for 28 years, said: “When I was finishing, the emotions weren’t there in the moment, but I just couldn’t believe that I was going to win it. I felt like I was dreaming. Most people didn’t expect me to be in the top five, but I know what I am capable of. This was my race today."

The Dutch record-holder, who has previously finished third, fourth and fifth in his three previous outings in New York, added: “I know the course. Today was about two things: survive that race and my race is after 36 kilometres. I was thinking like a cyclist, survive 36k and you’re going to win.”

On a chilly but sun-filled day in New York City – a large group of more than 25 athletes – including both Nageeye and Kamworor – hit the 10km mark in 31:27 with Kenyan Albert Korir, the 2021 champion, the first to hit the 15km checkpoint in 46:54.

Ethiopian Addisu Gobena of Ethiopia was first to halfway in 1:05:33 as part of a large group containing the NN Running Team duo as well as Olympic champion and defending champion Tamirat Tola of Ethiopia.

Korir headed a lead pack of 14 men at 25km in 1:17:48 before the race quickly started to unravel. At 30km the lead group had been whittled down to just half a dozen men led by Chebet and also including Tola, Korir Kenyan Wesley Kiptoo and, crucially both Kamworor and Nageeye.

By 32km, however, Kiptoo has slipped off the back and as the intensity of the race increased by 35km – Tola and Korir had faded from the head of the race – as the three-strong lead group of Chebet, Nageeye and Kamworor reached the checkpoint in 1:46:20. 

Unfortunately by 40km Kamworor had dropped back to fifth, although both Nageeye and Chebet, the 2022 New York City Marathon winner, continued to match each other stride for stride in a battle for victory.

In an impressive display of speed in the latter stages it was Nageeye who turned on the afterburners, his pitter-patter stride extending his advantage as he ran out a six-second winner from Chebet.

Korir finished strongly to take third in 2:08:00 – 12 seconds clear of Tola with Kamworor in fifth not quite able to add a fifth New York City Marathon podium.

Yet the day belonged to Nageeye, who proudly added his name to the pantheon of champions in this most iconic of marathon races.