Sharon Lokedi and Evans Chebet achieve the Kenyan double in the New York Marathon

Lokedi approaching the finish line of the New York Marathon.

(Photo: Sarah Stier/Getty Images North America/Getty Images)

(CNN) --

Kenya's Sharon Lokedi upset the women's New York Marathon on Sunday, while Evans Chebet won the men's race to claim the Kenyan double.

Lokedi, who was competing in the 42km distance for the first time in her career, pulled away from Israel's Lonah Chemtai Salpeter in the closing stages of the event, finishing with a time of two hours, 23 minutes and 23 seconds.

Salpeter finished second to seven seconds and the Ethiopian Gotytom Gebreslase, marathon world champion earlier in the year, was third.

Hellen Obiri, who was making her marathon debut and was one of the pre-race favourites, struggled in the closing stages and fell away from the main pack, finishing sixth.

Lokedi, 28, is the eighth athlete in history — male or female — to win in New York in her marathon debut, and she was visibly emotional after crossing the finish line in Central Park.

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"I'm speechless, I'm so excited... The ride was incredible, the spirit, everything," she told ESPN.

"I'm very grateful".

In the men's race, Chebet became the first man to win the New York and Boston marathons in the same year since 2011 by finishing in two hours, eight minutes and 41 seconds, 13 seconds ahead of Ethiopian Shura Kitata, while Dutchman Abdi Nageeye was more than a minute behind in third position.

Chebet crosses the finish line of the New York Marathon.

(Photo: TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP/AFP via Getty Images)

Chebet's win means Kenyan men have won all six major city marathons this year.

In addition to Chebet's title in Boston, Eliud Kipchoge won in Tokyo and Berlin, Amos Kipruto in London and Benson Kipruto in Chicago.

Conditions for Sunday's race were tough, with temperatures in New York City hovering around 73 degrees Fahrenheit (23 degrees Celsius).

Brazilian Daniel Do Nascimento led the race for much of the men's event, but collapsed on the ground and received medical attention in the closing stages, handing the lead to Chebet.

Race officials later told CNN that Do Nascimento was fine after leaving the race.

50,000 runners were expected to compete in this year's New York City Marathon, the first sold-out race since the Covid-19 pandemic.

The race, which runs through all five New York City boroughs, was held virtually in 2020 and with a restricted number of competitors in 2021.

In the men's wheelchair division race, Switzerland's Marcel Hug claimed the fifth New York Marathon title of his career.

The 36-year-old runner - known as the "Swiss Silver Bullet" - shattered the wheelchair course record in almost four minutes, finishing in one hour, 25 minutes and 25 seconds.

In this way, he surpassed the record of the Australian Kurt Fearnley, established in 2006 in 1:29:22.

American Susannah Scaroni also set the course record for the women's race, finishing in one hour, 42 minutes and 43 seconds, beating Tatyana McFadden's previous record.

CNN's Homero De la Fuente contributed to the article.

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