The 36-year-old is the first American woman in 40 years to win the New York City Marathon
Until Flanagan methodically dismantled the overwhelming favorite, three-time defending champion Mary Keitany of Kenya over the final Manhattan miles, breaking into a grin and then tears as she crossed the finish-line tape in 2 hours, 26 minutes and 53 seconds—no broken leg required.
Flanagan was raised by two former elite runners in Marblehead, Mass., where trips to watch the Boston Marathon were a regular childhood ritual. Her own elite career has spanned more than a decade, since winning back to back NCAA cross country titles for UNC Chapel Hill in 2002 and 2003, the silver medal in the 10,000 meters at the 2008 Olympics, and a seven-year marathoning career with a personal best of 2:21:14 in 2014 in Berlin.
.. her 6th place finish at the Rio Olympics