November 5, 2018 - Lelisa Desisa of Ethiopia won the men's marathon race in New York, USA, in 2 hours, 5 minutes, 59 seconds, according to NPR report.
This is his first win in New York marathon.
"This is my dream," Desisa, 28, said after the race, according to the Associated Press reported. I wanted "to be a champion."
Born in Shewa zone, Oromia regional state of Ethiopia, Lelisa Desisa made his breakthrough on to the senior international scene at road races in 2010.
He won the Boston marathon twice, in 2013 and 2015. He came in second thefollowing year in 2016.
Prior to this year, he competed for the New York marathon three times, coming second in 2014, and third in both 2015 and 2017.
Another Ethiopian, Shura Kitata, took second place in the men's race with a time of 2:06:01.
Last year's title defender, Kenya's Geoffrey Kamworor, who was was favored to win, came third with a time of 2:06:26.
In the women's race, Kenyan Mary Keitany, 36, became the third person to win the NYC marathon four times, according to The New York Times. She clocked in 2:22:48, the second fastest time for a female runner in NYC marathon history. Kenya's Margaret Okayo's record of 2:22:31 from 2003 remains unbroken.
Keitany said that setting a record was never on her mind, according to the AP. She just wanted to win.