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TCS NYC MARATHON

November 4, 2018

New York, New York

THE MODERATOR: We're going to start with the wheelchair division, our male and female winner. We're going to start with the female winner, finishing with a time of 1:20:57, from Switzerland, Manuela Schar.

Our men's winner, tying the record for the youngest winner of the wheelchair division in the TCS New York City Marathon history, with a finishing time of 1:36:21. He's also the first American to ever win this division, Daniel Romanchuk.

Manuela, I want to begin with you, you coming in here as the defending champion. Since the last time you were up on this stage, you won a couple of races. You won in Chicago. You won in Berlin. Are you at the point now where you get to the starting line and you know you're the competitor to beat?

MANUELA SCHAR: New York is always a really tough one for me because of the course. I'm not a really good climber, so I always have to work really hard in the flat part. Yeah, tried to make that ground that I lose in the hills. I'm always a bit more nervous before New York than before the other races.

THE MODERATOR: You looked confident today. Daniel, a month ago you had won zero Abbott World Marathon Major races. In a span of less than 30 days, you've won two. Walk me through the last month of your life that culminated with breaking that finishing tape today in Central Park.

DANIEL ROMANCHUK: It's an amazing experience to be able to win two major marathons in a row. Still hasn't sunk in yet.

Thank you to New York Road Runners for putting on an amazing event.

THE MODERATOR: You're only 20 years old. A lot more wins to go?

DANIEL ROMANCHUK: Don't know. You never know what's going to happen in a race until everyone's crossed the finish line.

Q. Daniel, for you, just curious, you made that move to Illinois. How instrumental has that been for you to train with a team there that includes some of the best Paralympic athletes in the U.S.?
DANIEL ROMANCHUK: I got a wonderful start out of the Bennett Blazers program out of Baltimore, Maryland, and three years ago, I moved out to Champagne/Urbana, Illinois. I got a great foundation starting with Bennett, and I would not be here if I wasn't with that group.

Q. Hi, congratulations. How does it feel to be the first American to do this? And what was going through your mind as you were crossing the finish line? What were you thinking and feeling?
DANIEL ROMANCHUK: I need air, and I'm in pain. It's wonderful to be able to win my first two Abbott -- sorry. Abbott major marathons on American soil. It's an amazing experience.

Q. Manuela, congratulations. Very different type of victory for you to what we're used to seeing. You were with Tatyana for such a long way. How does it feel now that you've won a very different type of race compared to your other victories?
MANUELA SCHAR: I think it was obvious at the finish line that I was overwhelmed because usually I have to work really hard in the flat to get away, and I couldn't do that. So I thought it would be difficult to enter the park together because she's so strong on the uphill. Everyone knows the finish line is pretty steep also, and after a marathon, it's pretty hard.

I just gave everything I had left for that pretty little downhill in the park, and I was actually finally able to get away a little bit. I still can't believe it was enough.

Q. Daniel, I think you went home to Maryland between Chicago and here.
DANIEL ROMANCHUK: Yes.

Q. For a family engagement. How important was it, just that time on the hills, especially looking how flat Chicago is versus the hills that New York presents?
DANIEL ROMANCHUK: Whenever I'm heading out to do any sort of hilly course, I do like to get home to Maryland and get on some nice hills before I head out to the race. It's a really nice prep going into a race.

THE MODERATOR: Both of you come in here as champions of the Bank of America Chicago Marathon just a month ago. Talk about what it takes to compete and win Abbott World Marathon Major marathons with such little time between the races.

MANUELA SCHAR: It's just all about recovering and recover as fast as possible because, after Chicago, yeah, flat course, you have to prepare for the hills. It's been a tough few weeks. We had Berlin and then Chicago and now New York, the toughest one at the end, of course. So it's been a really, really tough few weeks.

THE MODERATOR: Daniel, in crossing the finish line, margin of victory between 1 and 3 just two seconds, and the two men you beat, Marcel Hug and David Weir, legends in this sport. How does it feel to go toe to toe with the best and cross the line at first?

DANIEL ROMANCHUK: I grew up in the sport watching both of them on the world stage, and I always learn something whenever I race with them. It's an amazing experience to be able to push with those two that have just so much experience.

Q. Congratulations on the victory. You said you don't come into the races thinking about winning or preparing to win, but what is your thought process coming into the race?
DANIEL ROMANCHUK: I always go into a race with a plan on how to come out with my best -- with the highest on the ranks, but I never have set a goal or expect to win. There's just so much talent in this field. It's far too deep to do something like that.

Q. You participated in so many sports. I mean, obviously, today with this great victory and Chicago, but what is your favorite sport? Is it swimming? Basketball?
DANIEL ROMANCHUK: I'd have to say I definitely love racing, but they have all played a role in getting me to where I am, coming from just trying all of the different sports with my youth program. I would not be here without -- without Bennett and a number of other family, friends. Thank God for the opportunity to race today. The list goes on.

THE MODERATOR: Manuela, a slower time than last year but still a decisive victory. Tatyana was with you for a good portion of the race. At which point did you decide to pull away and make your move?

MANUELA SCHAR: I tried to make a move really early in the race. I have to. Yeah, I started as soon as we catch her after the bridge, and I just kept trying and trying, and then I realized it's hard to get away. I was just actually planning on staying with her as long as I could because getting second and those points. Then, yeah, that last downhill in the park, I just thought, just go for it again and try.

THE MODERATOR: Your 2018 TCS New York City Marathon champions, Daniel Romanchuk and Manuela Schar.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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