Joyciline wins NYC Half
NEW YORK (USA, Mar 17): World record-holder Joyciline Jepkosgei from Kenya won the NYC Half in 70:07 by exactly one minute from teammate Mary Ngugi with reigning champion Buze Diriba from Ethiopia third, also in 71:07. Emma Bates was the top US finisher in fourth in 71:13, just ahead of Boston Marathon winner Desiree Linden in 71:22. Former two-time world marathon champion Edna Kiplagat was a distant 11th in 73:18. Ethiopia’s Belay Tilahun won the men’s race in 62:10 from Eritrea’s Daniel Mesfin (62:16) with Paul Chelimo third on his debut in 62:19. Reigning champion Ben True was tenth in 62:56, one place ahead of the leading European finisher Soufiane Bouchikhi from Belgium in 62:59.