The 2017 edition of the New York City Marathon will go ahead as planned on Sunday despite Tuesday’s deadly terrorist attack in lower Manhattan.
Organizers said heightened security measures have been put in place ahead of the event expected to attract close to 50,000 runners from across the world, including defending Champion Mary Keitany of Kenya.
Mary Keitany will face tough competition from her compatriots including Edna Kiplagat and Betsy Saina in her quest to retain her New York City Marathon this Sunday.
Keitany, has won the New York Marathon each of the last three years, including a dominating performance last year as she dropped off her rivals midway to finish the course on a solo run in 2 hours 24 minutes and 26 seconds.
She is a two-time winner of the World Marathon Majors after winning the series titles in 2012 and 2016.
Kenya will have one serious contender in the men’s race as World Half marathon champion Geoffrey Kamworor returns to road race for the first time this year, after he stayed away to focus on the track competition ahead of the 2016 Rio Olympics.
Despite failing to finish the Berlin marathon late last month Wilson Kipsang ruled himself fit to compete in New York.
Kipsang and Kamwror will be joined by defending NYC champion and 2015 world champ Ghirmay Gebreslassie and two-time Boston champ Lelise Desisa.
Meanwhile Organizers of the annual event said heightened security measures have been put in place ahead of the event following Tuseday’s terrorist attack in lower Manhattan.
The site of the attack, which killed eight people and injured 14 more is roughly four miles from the nearest point on the marathon’s route at Columbus Circle. The winner of the race takes home 10.4 million shillings.
