Even in the New York Marathon the Italian flag flies on the podium. Thanks to an extraordinary Eyob Faniel, athlete of the Fiamme Oro of Padua, Veneto, , who took an incredible third place in New York after a marathon dominated for many stretches. The Italian athlete has brought our country in the top three places, after an absence that lasted 24 years: the last Italian marathoner to succeed was Stefano Baldini, also third in 1997.

Faniel has succeeded in the 50th edition of the New York Marathon, the first after the pandemic: better than him have managed to do only the Kenyan Albert Korir and Moroccan Mohamed El Aaraby. The Italian athlete was, however, almost the absolute protagonist in the first part of the Marathon, until kilometer 20 when he ran the race on the attack and in the lead.

The breakthrough came at the 15th kilometer, with only the Moroccan El Aaraby to keep up immediately. A lead that even touched 51 seconds before the impressive return of the Kenyan couple: Kibiwott Kandie (world record holder in the half marathon) and Albert Korir (second two years ago in New York) have changed pace, reaching the outriders and giving the break on 1st Avenue, the toughest stretch of the track.

He held on until the end, Faniel who gave in but resisted defending his third place with a spectacular 2h09:52.