Abdi Nageeye of the Netherlands crosses the finish line on his way to winning the professional men’s division of the New York City Marathon. Mandatory Credit: USA TODAY
Abdi Nageeye became the first Dutch athlete to ever win the New York City Marathon, crossing the finish line in 2:07:39.
NY had proved particularly elusive for the hard trier, who had finished 4th, 3rd and 5th in the last three editions.
Born in Somalia, Nageeye moved to the Netherlands at age 6, before living in Syria for 3 years and heading back to Somalia, before returning to Netherlands via Ethiopia, according to NBC Sports.
The win came from a thrilling final sprint, where Nageeye accelerated past 2022 champion Evans Chebet, marking a historic achievement for The Netherlands on the streets of New York.
It was emotional since Nageeye had endured a challenging summer after a DNF at the Paris Olympics, dropping out of Paris race with less than two miles to go. Earlier he was in a collision with a Kenyan runner, and slowed by hip pain.
He completed the first half in 65:35 and accelerated through the second one in an impressive 62:02. After years of close finishes — his dream of victory in Central Park is finally a reality.
“Am I dreaming or what, am I winning New York?” Nageeye said, smiling as he recounted the race’s final moments to the press. “The Olympics were very tough for me. I didn’t spend a training day without thinking about it. But that fueled my motivation for New York, even during the race. I was so focused and ready to respond to every move.”
Recounting his strategy, Nageeye added, “I was thinking like a cyclist. I knew that if I was still there after 35-36 km, I would win. But I still can’t believe it.”
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