Chebet, Lokedi claim New York wins as Kenya seals marathon sweep

NEW YORK: Evans Chebet completed a brilliant Kenyan clean sweep of the world’s major marathons on Sunday with a superb victory in the New York City marathon as compatriot Sharon Lokedi took the women’s crown in her first race over the distance.

Chebet — who also won the Boston Marathon in April — patiently waited for Brazilian front-runner Daniel do Nascimento to implode before hitting the front at the 20 mile mark.

The 33-year-old looked in total control over the closing stages, holding off the challenge of Ethiopia’s Shoura Kitata comfortably to win in a time of 2hr 08min 41sec.

Kitata trailed home in second place, 13 seconds adrift of the lead, while Abdi Nageeye of the Netherlands was third.

Chebet’s win means Kenyan runners have won all six of this year’s major marathons — the first time that has happened since the circuit expanded in 2013 with the addition of the Tokyo Marathon.

“Boston was actually harder but it was good preparation for the win in New York,” Chebet told ESPN through an interpreter following his win.

The men’s race had seen a dramatic start with Brazil’s do Nascimento surging clear of the field early on in what always looked like an unsustainable pace.

The 24-year-old from Sao Paulo crossed halfway in a blistering pace of 1:01:22 — putting him firmly on track for a course record.

Yet although he led by more than two minutes at the 15-mile mark, he began to slow as Chebet separated himself from the chasing pack to set off in pursuit.

Do Nascimento took a portable toilet break at the 18-mile mark which cost him 18 seconds and then cracked in the 20th mile, stopping and walking before collapsing to the ground where he required treatment from paramedics.

Chebet passed the Brazilian as he lay