NEW YORK — Geoffrey Mutai likes his chances in any championship-style marathon.
The Kenyan has turned in two eye-popping performances in seven months in races without pace-setters after he shattered the course record in the New York City Marathon on Sunday. He figures to be the favorite next summer in the London Games — if he can make the Olympic team in a country so deep in the sport.
Mutai’s performance was no surprise after he ran the fastest marathon ever earlier this year.
Mutai finished in 2 hours, 5 minutes, 6 seconds, crushing the previous NYC mark of 2:07:43 set by Tesfaye Jifar of Ethiopia a decade earlier.
Firehiwot Dado wasn’t a favorite coming into the women’s race and victory seemed impossible with even a few miles left. But the Ethiopian made a stunning comeback for her first major marathon title.
Dado trailed Mary Keitany by nearly 2 1/2 minutes at the 15-mile mark but passed her with about a mile left.
