It's been 33-years since an American female runner has won the New York City Marathon. Today 28-year-old Shalane Flanagan from Waltham, Massachusetts took a huge step forward for American marathon running by coming in second at the New York City Marathon...just behind Kenya’s Edna Kiplagat.
Kiplagat won the race in 2 hours, 28 minutes, 40 seconds but runner Flanagan wasn't far behind, in fact only twenty seconds separated the two female runners at the finish line.
Third place was claimed by Mary Keitany, the 2009 World Half-Marathon champion, who finished in a time of 2:29:01.
"Oh my goodness, I credit my team," Flanagan said. "I was so prepared. I'm so grateful and I was so nervous. Jerry Schumacher (Flanagan's coach) was so confident of what I can do. I'm just so thankful right now."
After the race Edna Kiplagat said that she was just happy to cross the finish line first in a very tight race.
"I had to wait until the last moments to feel out what was going to happen," Kiplagat said. "I tried to pull away when it was a little flat. I was happy to pull away from them."
According to Universal Sports:
"Flanagan’s runner-up finish is the best by an American since Kim Jones finished second in 1990. Kara Goucher finished third in her debut marathon in 2008. No American woman has won the race since Miki Gorman in 1977.
Flanagan also captured the U.S. Marathon championship, which was being contested simultaneously within the race."
Professional triathlete Desiree Ficker finished the marathon in a time of 2:52:30.
Click HERE for complete race results.
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