The Races for the Laurel Wreaths

The ING New York City Marathon 2009 saw the first victory by an American man in 27 years, an unexpected women’s victory for one of the greatest distance runners in history, and thrilling wheelchair races in which both 2008 champions successfully defended their titles. [Complete Coverage]

Children from New York Road Runners youth programs escorted the top competitors to the start and introduced them. Eventual winner Derartu Tulu of Ethiopia posed with her escort.
Across the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge in the first two miles, a large pack of women followed defending champion Paula Radcliffe, the world record-holder and overwhelming favorite.
After suffering a bad fall in the third mile, Yuri Kano of Japan tried to recover, but she never caught the leaders and would finish ninth in 2:39:05. Here she heads the second pack in Brooklyn.
Approaching the halfway point, Radcliffe still led—pursued by (right to left) Christelle Daunay of France, Ludmila Petrova of Russia, Salina Kosgei of Kenya (who’d also fallen after colliding with Kano), and Tulu.
Daunay, looking smooth and relaxed, challenged Radcliffe in Queens; the two would exchange the lead for about seven miles.
Unbeknownst to her competitors, a hamstring injury had kept Radcliffe from running at all in the previous two weeks. She fought hard on the Queensboro Bridge and regained the lead.
On Fifth Avenue, Radcliffe’s difficulties became apparent. She could no longer hold the pace, and the leading group was down to three: Daunay, the French record-holder; Tulu, a two-time Olympic medalist; and Petrova, who set a masters’ world record in last year’s race.
The 41-year-old Russian, who won here in 2000, pushed hard as the race entered Central Park.
Daunay could not respond, but Tulu hung on, confident in her closing speed.
At the race’s final turn at Columbus Circle, Tulu shifted to a gear that Petrova couldn’t match. She reentered Central Park in the lead with 600 meters remaining and pulled away to win by eight seconds.
The ING New York City Marathon 2009 women’s podium finishers (left to right): Ludmila Petrova of Russia (second, 2:29:00), Derartu Tulu, the first Ethiopian woman to win in New York (2:28:52); and Christelle Daunay of France (third, 2:29:16).
Defending wheelchair champion Kurt Fearnley of Australia took an early lead, but he was closely followed.
Drafting is permitted in wheelchair racing, and the competitors do it often to save energy, trading the lead.
Defending champion Edith Hunkeler of Switzerland (center) pushed hard from the start.
Hunkeler led through the streets of Brooklyn.
Fearnley worked closely with American Krige Schabort for much of the race.
Eight-time Boston Marathon winner Ernst Van Dyk (#302) led a chase pack.
Hunkeler and Fearnley both successfully defended their titles and became ING New York City Marathon 2009 champions.
The men’s race was also the USA Marathon Championship. Two of the favorites, Abdi Abdirahman and Meb Keflezighi—immigrants from Somalia and Eritrea, respectively—felt solidarity on the starting line.
In the early miles through Brooklyn, a large leading pack included Jackson Kipkoech of Kenya (in blue); Hendrick Ramaala of South Africa (in head scarf); Abdirahman; Robert Kipkoech Cheruiyot (in hat) and James Kwambai, both of Kenya; and Keflezighi.
Morocco’s Abderrahime Bouramdane made several surges in the race’s first half—but they were covered by the strong American contenders, including Ryan Hall (in blue with hat) and Jorge Torres (in red shorts).
In Queens, Bouramdane was shadowed by James Kwambai, history’s third-fastest marathoner. Near the back of the pack were defending champion Marilson Gomes dos Santos of Brazil (far left) and 2008 Olympic silver medalist Jaouad Gharib of Morocco (second from left).
The leaders flew down the Queensboro Bridge into Manhattan at the 16-mile mark. Kipkoech led briefly, with Kwambai and Torres on his tail. Torres, a 2008 Olympian on the track, was running his first marathon.
Hendrick Ramaala made his traditional move on First Avenue; he was a victim of his own acceleration this year, but it whittled the leading group to five. From left: Keflezighi, Cheruiyot, Bouramdane, Kipkoech, and Kwambai.
On Fifth Avenue, Cheruiyot—a four-time Boston Marathon champion—did all he could to shake Keflezighi, who had finished second in the U.S. Olympic Trials Marathon, the Olympic Marathon, and the ING New York City Marathon, but had never won at the distance.
Keflezighi had an answer for everything Cheruiyot threw at him. As the pair neared Central Park, the American gathered himself to make a move of his own.
Hall, the USA Olympic Trials Marathon champion in 2007, was dropped on First Avenue—but he fought his way back up to a fourth-place finish.
Keflezighi surged at the 24-mile mark and immediately had a gap on Cheruiyot. His lead only widened from there.
Keflezighi finished second in 2004 and third in 2005. In 2009, he became the first American winner in 27 years, since Alberto Salazar’s 1982 victory. His time was a personal best.
Hall and Keflezighi often train together in Mammoth Lakes, CA. After the race, Hall said that Keflezighi was “like a big brother to me.” The two finished first and second in the USA Marathon Championship; Jorge Torres, seventh overall, was the third American.
The ING New York City Marathon 2009 men’s podium finishers (left to right): Robert Kipkoech Cheruiyot of Kenya (second); Meb Keflezighi of the United States (first); Jaouad Gharib of Morocco (third).