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2016 TCS New York City Marathon – Women’s Preview

MarathonGuide Staff

Nov 06, 2016

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See Also: Starter List (bottom of page)

Photo Credit: Victah Sailer / PhotoRun
Mary Keitany Holds the
Women’s Personal Best

While the top of the women’s field at the New York City Marathon is not as deep as in some years, we expect to see a good and competitive race. In the field are two favorites and they have quite a rivalry: Mary Keitany is the two-time defending champion and fastest woman in the field, so we give the edge to her. Mergia Aselefech was runner-up at the 2015 New York City Marathon behind Keitany, but she finished ahead of Keitany at the 2016 London Marathon and does have the second fastest personal best in the field. A few other times Aselefech has been behind Keitany in a race, but perhaps her bettering Keitany earlier in 2016 will give her confidence in New York.

Also of note in the competitve field is Joyce Chepkirui who won the Amsterdam Marathon in 2:24:11 in the Fall of 2015 and followed that up with a third-place finish at the 2016 Boston Marathon. Sally Kipyego, the 2012 10000m Olympic Silver Medalist failed to finish her first marathon attempt at the 2015 New York City Marathon, but she has told us that she learned a lot from that experience and we think she could land on the podium. Bizunesh Deba (the 2013 runner-up), despite being an Ethiopian citizen, has lived in New York for a dozen years and knows the course better than any and is a local favorite.

With a relatively shallow international field, the New York Road Runners chose to focus its efforts on attracting a strong American field. The first American woman will receive $25,000 in addition to any of the Open prize money and the American money is offered five deep. With that much money on the line, a strong cohort of American women will be vying to be top American in a race of Americans within the bigger race. Two of the favorites for top American woman will be running their debut marathons and could well prove to be among the best Americans of the current generation. Molly Huddle had the 5,000m American track record and has American road 5K record. More recently she has competed well at the 10,000m including winning the USATF 10,000m championships, finishing 4th at the 2015 10,000m World Championships and 6th at the Olympics 10,000m in Rio. She has run well at the Half Marathon and much is expected of her marathon debut. Kim Conley twice represented the USA in 5,000m at the Olympics including Rio. She also won the 2015 USATF Half Marathon championships and is hoped to do well in her debut marathon. Also competing for the top American spot will be Annie Bersagal, Sara Hall, Janet Cherobon-Bawcom, Esther Atkins, Neely Gracey and Brianne Nelson among others.

Female Elite Athletes

AthleteCountryBibPersonal BestNYC
Mary Keitany (34)KEN1012:18:37, London, 2012History
Aselefech Mergia (31)ETH1022:19:31, Dubai, 2012History
Mare Dibaba (27)ETH1032:19:52, Xiamen, 2015; 2:19:52, Dubai, 2012History
Joyce Chepkirui (28)KEN1042:24:11, Amsterdam, 2015History
Buzunesh Deba (29)ETH1052:19:59, Boston, 2014History
Diane Nukuri (31)BDI1062:27:50, London, 2015History
Janet Bawcom (38)USA1072:29:45, 2012 U.S. Olympic Team Trials – Women’s Marathon, 2012History
Sally Kipyego (30)KEN108DebutHistory
Sara Hall (33)USA1092:30:06, London, 2016History
Lanni Marchant (32)CAN1102:28:00, Toronto Waterfront, 2013History
Molly Huddle (32)USA111DebutHistory
Gwen Jorgensen (30)USA112DebutHistory
Brianne Nelson (36)USA1142:34:22, Minneapolis-St. Paul, 2014History
Neely Gracey (26)USA1152:35:00, Boston, 2016History
Kelly Arias (27)COL1162:29:36, Hamburg, 2016History
Esther Atkins (30)USA1172:33:15, Boston, 2014History
Annie Bersagel (33)USA1182:28:59, D?sseldorf, 2014History
Etaferahu Temesgen (27)ETH1192:34:42, Dubai, 2016History
Hilary Dionne (31)USA1202:39:39, Hartford, 2013History
Ayantu Dakebo Hailemaryam (20)ETH1212:33:56History
Caroline Le Frak (33)USA1222:38:14History
Maria Peralta (38)ARG1232:40:50, London Olympics, 2012History
Keely Maguire (26)USA1242:43:06, 2016 U.S. Olympic Team Trials – Women’s Marathon, 2016History
Kim Conley (30)USA125DebutHistory
Kirsten Molloy (37)AUS1272:43:41, Melbourne Marathon, 2011History
Emma Nordling (31)SWE1282:43:28, New York City, 2015History
Alexandra Niles (33)USA1292:45:45History
Sarah MacKay Robinson (33)USA1302:42:36, Sacramento, 2015History
Kristen Lawrence (36)USA1312:47:14History
Megan Foster (38)USA1322:48:33History
Dawn Grunnagle (38)USA1342:49:43History
Dot McMahan (40)USA1402:31:48, Duluth, 2011History
Laura Manninen (43)FIN1432:42:36History
Sheri Piers (45)USA1452:36:59, Minneapolis-St. Paul, 2012History
Marilyn Arsenault (48)CAN1482:40:20, Toronto Waterfront, 2013History

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