NEW YORK (AP) — Eliud Kipchoge and Sifan Hassan are at different ends of their marathon careers.
Kipchoge, who turns 41 next week, is wrapping up a historic run as one of the most accomplished marathoners in the sport, while the 32-year-old Hassan is in the prime of her career, coming off a victory at Sydney two months ago.
The two are taking on the New York Marathon for the first time Sunday, with Hassan looking to pull off the incredible double after winning in Australia.
To accomplish that feat, the Dutch star will have to beat the last three champions Sheila Chepkirui of Kenya (2024) , Hellen Obiri (2023) and Sharon Lokedi (2022), who set the Boston Marathon course record in April.
“I have respect for the course which I haven’t done,” Hassan said. “I have big respect for the athletes going to run with me. I’m not going to say I’m going to win, it’s very hard.”
Hassan has the best time of the group, running a personal best 2 hours, 13.44 minutes at the Chicago Marathon in 2023, but she’ll have to deal with the 26.2-mile course that is full of bridges and hills.
“I remember last year after Paris it made me so scared of how hard this course (is),” said Hassan, who broke the Olympic record in the marathon last year. “I wasn’t ready last year.”
This is Hassan’s first trip to the city and she knows how she’ll celebrate after finishing the race — by having her “first slice of New York pizza.”
U.S. record holder Emily Sisson and Tokyo Olympic bronze medalist Molly Seidel are the top Americans in the field. An American woman hasn’t won the race since Shalane Flanagan did it in 2017. It’s been 16 years since an American man won.
Kipchoge sees New York as a victory lap after his illustrious career in which he’s won 11 major marathons and set two world records. His last major marathon victory came in Berlin in 2023.
“I’m really saying thank you because this is the only way that I can do that,” he said.
He has spent the last few days in New York and has been running around iconic Central Park, where the race finishes.
“Going down the streets everyone is happy, it’s a beautiful (running) culture,” he said. “I realized that over a million people run in Central Park every year.”
Kipchoge will be part of a strong men’s field that includes defending champion Abdi Nageeye of the Netherlands. He’s looking to be the first repeat winner since Geoffrey Mutai in 2011 and 2013. The 2012 race was cancelled because of Superstorm Sandy.
“It would be a dream come true, but I know how tough this race course is,” Nageeye said. “This is my fifth time (running it), every time was different then I expected. It would be amazing if that happens.”
Nageeye said that he’ll wait to see how the race unfolds before figuring out his strategy.
“Each race is different, a few kilometers in you get a feel for what might happen,” the 36-year-old runner said.
He could have to contend with 2024 London Marathon winner Alexander Mutiso and Albert Korir, who won New York in 2021.
Wheelchair success
Marcel Hug, known as the Silver Bullet, returns to New York looking for his seventh victory in the wheelchair division. He most recently won in 2023. Defending champion Daniel Romanchuk isn’t competing this year because of a shoulder injury he suffered at the Sydney Marathon. Susannah Scaroni will look to defend her title.
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