Obiri sets women's NYC Marathon course record, Kipruto wins men's race by a fraction of a second

NEW YORK (AP) — The New York City Marathon made history on Sunday with a course record set in the women's competition and the closest race ever on the men's side, which was decided by a fraction of a second.

Hellen Obiri of Kenya broke the women's record while compatriot Benson Kipruto won the men's race by edging Alexander Mutiso by three-hundredths of a second.

Obiri, who also won the race in 2023, finished in 2 hours, 19 minutes and 51 seconds. She was running with 2022 winner Sharon Lokedi until Obiri pulled away from her countrymate in the final mile, surging ahead and winning easily by 16 seconds to best the previous course record of 2:22.31 set by Margaret Okayo in 2003.

“It feels so great. ... I am so happy to run the course record,” Obiri said. “With 1K to go I felt like I was so strong. I have something left in my tank.”

Defending champion Sheila Chepkirui finished third. All three beat the previous course best on a beautiful day for running, with temperatures in the 50s Fahrenheit when the race started.

Kipruto and Mutiso separated themselves from the chase pack in the men's race heading into Mile 24. Kipruto seemed to have put the race away, pulling away from Mutiso in the last 200 meters. But Mutiso, who also is from Kenya, wasn't done, surging in the last 50 meters before falling just short. Kipruto, who was running the New York race for the first time, finished in 2:08.40. That finish topped the 2005 race that was decided by a second.

“I was aware that Mutiso was behind,” said Kipruto, who also has won the Boston, Chicago and Tokyo marathons. “It was so close and I knew because I know Mutiso is a strong guy.”

Albert Korir, who won in 2021, was third, giving Kenya a sweep of the top three spots in both the men's and women's races. Joel Reichow was the top American, coming in sixth.

Eliud Kipchoge, who turns 41 next week, wrapped up a historic run as one of the most accomplished marathoners in the sport. Kipchoge, who has won 11 major world marathons, finished 17th in his first time running NYC.

On the women's side, the trio of former champions separated themselves heading into the Bronx at Mile 20. American Fiona O’Keeffe and Dutch runner Sifan Hassan had made it a pack of five once the group entered Manhattan a few miles earlier but couldn’t hang on for the final 6 miles.

This was the first time that the previous three women’s winners had been in the same race since 2018. The trio didn’t disappoint, putting forth stellar efforts. It was the second straight year that Kenyans took the top three spots.

O’Keeffe finished fourth, breaking the American course record as she finished in 2:22.49.

“Really exciting. I can’t take too much credit for the time, that was all on the women ahead of me," O'Keeffe said. "Grateful to be back in the marathon. Feels like coming home.”

Fellow American Annie Frisbie finished fifth as four of the top nine finishers were from the U.S. Hassan, who won the Sydney Marathon two months ago, was sixth.

Chelsea Clinton was also one of the finisher, completing the course in just under 3:45. She was greeted at the finish line by her parents — former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

The 26.2-mile course took runners through all five boroughs of New York, starting in Staten Island and ending in Manhattan's Central Park. This is the 49th year the race has been in all five boroughs. Before that, the route was completely in Central Park. The first race had only 55 finishers while a record 55,642 people finished last year, the largest in the history of the sport until the London Marathon broke it earlier this year.

Marcel Hug and Susannah Scaroni both won the wheelchair races in dominant fashion. Hug, known as the Silver Bullet, has now won this marathon seven times. He finished 3:52 ahead of second-place finisher David Weir. Scaroni defended her title and was victorious for the third time in four years. She crossed the finish line 5:43 ahead of second-place finisher Tatyana McFadden, who has won the race five times.

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Former President Bill Clinton hugs his daughter, Chelsea Clinton, after Chelsea crossed the finish line of the New York City Marathon, Sunday, Nov. 2, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Angelina Katsanis)

Susannah Scaroni of the United States and Marcel Hug of Switzerland celebrate winning first place in the women's and men's wheelchair divisions of the New York City Marathon, Sunday, Nov. 2, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Angelina Katsanis)

Benson Kipruto and Alexander Mutiso and hug and laugh with each other after a close finish crossing the finish line to win first and second place in the men's elite division of the New York City Marathon, Sunday, Nov. 2, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Angelina Katsanis)

Benson Kipruto and Alexander Mutiso cross the finish line to win first and second place in the men's elite division of the New York City Marathon, Sunday, Nov. 2, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Angelina Katsanis)

Hellen Obiri celebrates winning first place in the women's elite division of the New York City Marathon, Sunday, Nov. 2, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Angelina Katsanis)

Benson Kipruto, of Kenya, leads Alexander Mutiso, of Kenya, on the home stretch through Central Park during the New York City Marathon, Sunday, Nov. 2, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

Benson Kipruto and Alexander Mutiso, both of Kenya, make their way through Central Park during the New York City Marathon, Sunday, Nov. 2, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

Athletes in the men's elite division start the New York City Marathon, Sunday, Nov. 2, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

Yudai Fukuda, right, of Japan, leads the elite men's division early at the start of the New York City Marathon, Sunday, Nov. 2, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

BRISTOL, Pa. (AP) — Construction crews and drones searched the rubble of a Pennsylvania nursing home Wednesday, a day after a powerful explosion killed at least two people, collapsed part of the building and left several residents unaccounted for.

Emergency responders from across the region had evacuated residents and dug through debris on Tuesday amid flames, smoke, a strong smell of gas and even a second explosion, Gov. Josh Shapiro said at a news conference that evening.

The blast at the 174-bed nursing home in Bristol Township, about 20 miles (32 kilometers) northeast of Philadelphia, happened shortly after a utility crew responded to reports of a gas odor at the facility, authorities said. Investigators are examining whether a gas leak caused the explosion, a finding officials cautioned remains preliminary.

The town’s fire chief, Kevin Dippolito, said at the Tuesday news conference that five people were still unaccounted for, but he cautioned that some may have left the scene with family members.

The first report of an explosion at Bristol Health & Rehab Center came at around 2:15 p.m. Tuesday, authorities said. Dippolito described a chaotic rescue in which firefighters found people trapped in stairwells and elevator shafts and pulled residents from windows and doors. Two people were rescued from a collapsed section of the building.

Firefighters handed patients to police officers waiting outside, including one officer “who literally threw two people over his shoulders,” Dippolito said. Rescuers used search dogs, heavy equipment and sonar to locate potential victims.

Willie Tye, who lives about a block away, said he was watching a basketball game when he heard a loud boom.

“I thought an airplane or something came and fell on my house,” he said. When he went outside, he saw “fire everywhere” and people fleeing the building.

The local gas utility, PECO, said its crews were responding to reports of a gas odor when the explosion occurred. The company said it shut off natural gas and electric service to the facility to protect first responders and nearby residents.

“It is not known at this time if PECO’s equipment, or natural gas, was involved in this incident,” the utility said in a statement.

Investigators from the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission went to the scene. A utility commission spokesperson said a determination that a gas leak caused the explosion cannot be confirmed until investigators examine the site.

Musuline Watson, who said she was a certified nursing assistant at the facility, told WPVI-TV that staff smelled gas over the weekend but did not initially suspect a serious problem because there was no heat in that room.

The nursing home recently became affiliated with Saber Healthcare Group and was previously known as Silver Lake Healthcare Center.

Saber called the explosion “devastating” in a statement and said facility personnel promptly reported the gas odor to PECO before the blast. The company said it was cooperating with authorities to ensure the safety of residents, staff and the surrounding community.

State records show the facility was cited for multiple violations during its most recent inspection in October by the Pennsylvania Department of Health, including failing to provide accurate floor plans, properly maintain stairways and fire extinguishers on one level. Inspectors also cited the facility for lacking required smoke barrier partitions designed to contain smoke across floors.

According to Medicare.gov, the facility underwent a standard fire safety inspection in September 2024 and received no citations. Medicare’s overall rating of the facility is listed as “much below average,” with poor ratings for health inspections in particular.

Levy and Scolforo reported from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Associated Press reporters Tassanee Vejpongsa in Bristol, Pennsylvania; Holly Ramer in Concord, New Hampshire; Michael Casey in Boston; and Hannah Schoenbaum in Salt Lake City contributed.

First responders work the scene of an explosion and fire at Bristol Health & Rehab Center, Tuesday, Dec. 23, 2025, in Bristol, Pa. (Monica Herndon/The Philadelphia Inquirer via AP)

First responders work at the scene of an explosion and fire at Bristol Health & Rehab Center, Tuesday, Dec. 23, 2025, in Bristol, Pa. (Monica Herndon/The Philadelphia Inquirer via AP)

Investigators work around Bristol Health & Rehab Center and surrounding rubble after a gas explosion the day prior on Wednesday, Dec. 24, 2025, in Bristol, Pa. (AP Photo/Mingson Lau)

Investigators work around Bristol Health & Rehab Center and surrounding rubble after a gas explosion the day prior on Wednesday, Dec. 24, 2025, in Bristol, Pa. (AP Photo/Mingson Lau)

A responder navigates around Bristol Health & Rehab Center and surrounding rubble after a gas explosion the day prior on Wednesday, Dec. 24, 2025, in Bristol, Pa. (AP Photo/Mingson Lau)