New York City Marathon: Thousands take to the streets of the Big Apple as Ethiopia’s Tamirat Tola sets a course record with victory, while Hellen Obiri leaves Letsenbet Gidney behind to claim the women’s title

Ethiopia’s Tamirat Tola set a course record by winning the men’s race at the New York City Marathon on Sunday, while Kenya’s Hellen Obiri pulled away in the final 400 meters to take the women’s titles as thousands poured through the streets of the Big Apple on Sunday .

Tola, 32, finished in 2 hours, 4 minutes and 58 seconds, surpassing Geoffrey Mutai’s 2:05.06 in 2011. Tola pulled away from fellow American Jemal Yimer as the pair headed toward the Bronx at mile 20.

By the time he returned to Manhattan a mile later, he had a 19-second lead and was chasing Mutai’s mark.

While the men’s race was well decided before the last few kilometers, the women’s race came to a razor’s edge.

Obiri, Letesenbet Gidey of Ethiopia and defending champion Sharon Lokedi all ran together and traded the lead. Obiri made a move as the trio headed back to Central Park for the final half mile, finishing in 2:27.23. Gidey finished second, 6 seconds behind.

Tola, 32, topped Geoffrey Mutai’s 2:05:06 in ’11. In the photo: Tola celebrates after setting a course record with his victory

Runners cross the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge (Staten Island) at the start of the New York City Marathon, Sunday, November 5

Kenyan Hellen Obiri celebrates winning the 52nd edition of the NYC Marathon. Her time was 2 hours, 27 minutes and 23 seconds.

Runners make their way through Brooklyn early in the marathon as weather conditions (50s) were perfect for this year’s race

Lokedi was 10 seconds behind Obiri, who won the Boston Marathon in April.

This was a great women’s field that was expected to possibly beat Margaret Okayo’s course record of 2:22:31 in 2003.

Unlike last year when the weather was unseasonably warm with temperatures in the 70s, Sunday’s race was much cooler as it took place in the 50s – ideal conditions for record times.

Instead, the women had a tactical race with 11 runners, including Americans Kellyn Taylor and Molly Huddle in the lead group for the first 30 kilometers. Taylor and Huddle both led the group on points before falling back to finish eighth and ninth.

As the leading group returned to Manhattan for the final few kilometers, Obiri, Gidey and Lokedi picked up the pace.

Marcel Hug from Switzerland crosses the finish line first in the men’s wheelchair division of the Marathon for the sixth time

Catherine Debrunner of Switzerland, who won the women’s wheelchair division of the NYC Marathon, gets a hug from Hug

New York City Mayor Eric Adams smiles as he addresses athletes before heading to Verrazano Narrows Bridge

An amateur runner dressed as Naruto to get through Sunday’s big race as he crossed the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge

FRIENDLY NEIGHBORHOOD SPIDER-MAN: A runner dressed as the Marvel superhero as he interacted with onlookers in NYC

A runner wears a Mexican native head decoration as he crosses the Verrazano Bridge on a cool and sunny Sunday in New York

A runner wore an apple on his head to protect his ears from the cold fall weather in New York as he smiled after crossing the finish line

As the trio entered Central Park, they further distanced themselves from Kenyan Brigid Kosgei, who finished fourth.

The men’s and women’s winners finished within a few minutes of each other.

About an hour earlier, Marcel Hug won the men’s wheelchair race, finishing a few seconds behind his own course record by finishing in 1:25.29. It was the Swiss star’s record-extending sixth NYC Marathon victory.

‘It’s unbelievable. I think it takes some time to realize what happened,” Hug said. “I’m so happy too.”

A spectator with a hilarious sign was all smiles as he cheered on amateur athletes running the NYC Marathon in Brooklyn

Another spectator held a poster teasing runners and letting them know the size of the boroughs they have to run through

Flags of Israel were visible in several parts of the city during Sunday morning’s race, as the Israeli-Palestinian conflict continued

A runner was all smiles while holding a Palestinian flag as he crossed the Verrazano Bridge on a beautiful day in the Big Apple

He is the event’s most decorated wheelchair race champion, breaking a tie with Tatyana McFadden and Kurt Fearnley for the most division wins in the event’s history.

Catherine Debrunner of Switzerland won her debut in New York, breaking the course record in the women’s wheelchair race. She finished in 1:39.32, beating the previous score by more than 3 minutes, which was set by the American Susannah Scaroni.

‘It’s difficult to describe in words. “I told my coach that if I win this race, it will be the best performance I have ever shown,” she said. ‘I knew this was the toughest marathon of all. It was the first time. I knew it was going to be so tough.”

Debrunner and Tola both earned a $50,000 bonus for surpassing previous course records.