Kenya’s Mary Keitany wins 3rd straight NYC marathon

Nov 6, 2016 | 9:15 AM

NEW YORK — Mary Keitany has won her third straight New York City Marathon to become the first woman to win three consecutive marathons in New York since Grete Waitz’s five-year run from 1982 to 1986.

The 34-year-old Kenyan defended her title Sunday in an unofficial time of 2 hours, 24 minutes, 26 seconds, beating countrywoman Joyce Chepkirui by nearly four minutes.

Lanni Marchant of London, Ont., was seventh in 2:33.50, making her New York City Marathon debut. In previous years, Marchant had been chasing qualifying standards for various events, and so scheduled her racing accordingly.

Last year, Keitany pulled away around the 21-mile mark. On Sunday, she began getting a sizable lead at the 15-mile mark as the race crossed the Queensboro Bridge into Manhattan.