ING New York City Marathon winner Meb Keflezighi promised more to come from American distance runners after achieving a historic victory in the Big Apple.

Eritrea-born Keflezighi was one of six American men to finish in the top 10 on Sunday's 40th running of the famous New York race and the first US winner since Alberto Salazar in 1982.

Those finishes for the home contingent came in a race featuring one of the strongest fields ever assembled in a men's marathon, with Keflezighi winning a duel with four-time Boston champion Robert Cheruiyot to take victory in a personal best two hours nine minutes and 15 seconds, the Kenyan finishing runner-up 41 seconds adrift with two-time world champion Jaouad Gharib of Morocco third and American Ryan Hall fourth.

Keflezighi had won America's first Olympic men's marathon medal since Frank Shorter won the Munich 1972 gold when he took silver in Athens in 2004 and having recovered from a serious hip injury he spoke of his delight at ending another lean streak.

The 34-year-old said: "Eleven years ago I wrote a letter to Mr Alberto Salazar, (saying) we need to change the US distance running. To visualise that and to be the first American to win since him is a big honour.

"Jorge Torres (seventh on his marathon debut) has been in the 10k before, and Ryan has done a great job in the marathon, getting a fast time and finishing third in Boston is huge.

"At the high school level, collegiate level, professional level, we are set. And there's more to come. The results also speak for themselves, and there's a lot of great things going on."

Hall, 27, credited some-time training partner Keflezighi and Deena Kastor, who won bronze in the 2004 Olympic women's marathon, for inspiring the upsurge in American distance running.

"I was really happy for Meb," Hall said.

"Someone yelled to me that Meb was going to win, I was passing mile 23 or 24. I smiled and I thought 'man, that's awesome'.

"He totally capitalised on a golden opportunity. He continues to break barriers for us young Americans to try to follow in his footsteps. So it was a good day for the Americans.

"We're obviously coming around. I think a lot of that has to do with Meb and Deena bringing home medals in 2004, that kind of kicked it off for us.

"There are tons of Americans pushing the envelope, and Jorge (Torres) debuting and running so well.

"I think we're going to continue to see guys running better and better because there are more of us now whereas before there were a lot of guys that were done with their careers.

"Now it's a lot of young guys coming to the marathon with fresh legs. So I think we're continuing to see improvement."

Torres, who is coached in Colorado by Welsh former world record holder Steve Jones, added: "It's a good feeling to hear that an American brought the title back home.

"We went first, fourth, seventh, eighth, ninth and 10th, which is pretty impressive for the American men.

"I think it's something that's been in the works. I just hope that it just keeps on improving and to see people winning majors like Meb, Ryan, even hopefully myself some time."