Swiss wheelchair racer Hug sets men's course record in 5th NYC Marathon win

Marcel Hug of Switzerland won the New York City Marathon men's wheelchair race for the fifth time, shattering the course record Sunday and tying Kurt Fearnley for most-ever victories in the men's wheelchair race.

Hug finished the 42.2-kilometre course through all five boroughs of New York in one hour 25 minutes 26 seconds to break the previous mark of 1:29.22 set by Fearnley of Australia in 2006.

Hug, who also won the race last year, earned $50,000 US for besting the course record. He crossed the finish line more than two minutes ahead of second-place finisher Daniel Romanchuk of Illinois.

"The conditions were great for us. A tail wind the first half. It was very good conditions. I think that's the reason," Hug said of the record time. "I didn't know the time. My goal was to go as fast as possible and didn't focus on the time."

Hug won on an unseasonably warm day, with the temperature expected to soar beyond 20 C and possibly challenge the record for the hottest race since the marathon moved to November in 1986.

Wow! 1:25:26 by