Hellen Obiri emerged victorious in the second marathon of 2023, triumphantly crossing the finish line as the women’s New York City Marathon champion this past Sunday.
In addition to her remarkable victory, this Kenyan sensation earned a substantial cash prize as a token of her outstanding performance.
This year’s New York City Marathon marked Obiri’s third participation in the event, and she returned to the very place where she made her marathon debut, following a stellar track career. The women’s race proved to be a captivating spectacle, with no clear frontrunner in the closing kilometers.
The final moments of the race saw four Kenyan athletes, including Obiri, former world record holder Brigid Kosgei, defending champion Sharon Lokedi, Viola Cheptoo, and Ethiopian Letesenbet Gidey, leading the pack.
Obiri and Gidey eventually distanced themselves from the rest of the field, setting the stage for a thrilling showdown, much like their battle at the 2022 World Athletics Championships in Oregon.
The two sprinted towards the finish line, and it was Obiri who secured the victory in the end. Notably, six Kenyan runners claimed the top six positions in the women’s race, with Obiri clocking an impressive time of 2:27:23, while Gidey finished closely behind at 2:27:29, as confirmed by World Athletics.
Obiri had already showcased her marathon prowess earlier in the year by winning the women’s Boston Marathon, where she completed the course in 2:21:38.
The 2023 edition of the event distributed a total of around $900,000 in prizes to the participating athletes. The elite runners in the men’s, women’s, and wheelchair divisions each received their respective rewards.
First-place finishers in both the men’s and women’s marathons received a handsome sum of $100,000. Second-place finishers were awarded $60,000, third-place finishers received $40,000, fourth-place $25,000, and fifth-place $15,000, as reported by CBS News.
In light of her impressive victory, Obiri proudly took home the top prize of $100,000, which, when converted to Kenyan shillings, equates to over 15 million. With this substantial win, she firmly establishes herself as one of the highest-earning Kenyan athletes of 2023.
