Two of the most-watched women in the New York City Marathon field will not start on November 1. Sifan Hassan, the Dutch runner who won Olympic marathon gold in Paris, has withdrawn after an illness set back her training, and American Fiona O'Keeffe is out after surgery on her left hamstring.
For both it is a second straight missed major. Hassan pulled out of London in April with an Achilles problem, and her last marathon was her New York debut a year ago, when she finished sixth. "Sometimes, things just don't go as planned," she wrote in announcing the decision.
O'Keeffe, 28, also missed Boston in April. A scan in late September showed that a partial hamstring tear dating from that build-up had become a full tear, and she had it repaired last week. She was fourth in New York last year in 2:22:49, the fastest time an American woman has run on the five-borough course.
Defending champion Hellen Obiri of Kenya still heads the women's race, with Jess McClain among the leading Americans.
Source
Original summary by Proventier.