Susannah Scaroni and Marcel Hug became Abbott World Marathon Majors Series XIV Champions with victories in the men’s and women’s wheelchair races at the 2022 TCS New York City Marathon as both earned victories in course records.
The results sealed them each the largest purse in wheelchair racing with $25,000 for the win and a further $50,000 for breaking the course records, plus another $50,000 for becoming AbbottWMM Series Champions.
In unseasonably warm conditions, Scaroni launched her bid for glory as soon as the cannon fired on Staten Island, streaking across the Verrazzano Bridge.
The American established a lead that nobody could touch for the rest of the contest, leaving her to focus on her pace and stay on course for Tatyana McFadden’s previous best on the route through the five boroughs of 1:43:04.
That mark had stood since 2015, but was under serious threat as Scaroni clicked off the miles. She began to struggle in the final five miles but eventually crossed the line in 1:42:43, more than two minutes ahead of last year’s series champion, Switzerland's Manuela Schär.
Schär finished second in 1:45:11, and last year’s New York City champion, Madison de Rozario of Australia, was third in 1:45:24.
Hug had to wait until after the first bridge to claim the lead in the men’s race, with Daniel Romanchuk powering over the gradient into Brooklyn ahead of the defending champion.
But as soon as they made the turn onto 92nd street, the Swiss pulled ahead and, much like Scaroni, never looked back.
It’s Hug’s second course record in as many Majors having also lowered the mark in Chicago in October. He finished here in 1:25:26, way inside Kurt Fearnley’s 1:29:22 set in 2006.
Hug also now sits alongside the Australian with five New York City victories.
Romanchuk was second in 1:27:38, followed by Jetze Plat of the Netherlands in third in 1:31:28.
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