Almgren Sets Course Record Debut as Chepkirui Claims Second NYC Title

Andreas Almgren of Sweden claimed victory in the men's New York City Marathon on Sunday, finishing in 2 hours, 6 minutes and 1 second. The win marks his first time competing at the 26.2-mile distance, following a career focused on half-marathons. Sheila Chepkirui of Kenya took the women's title in 2 hours, 24 minutes and 36 seconds, securing her second win in the event.

Almgren separated from Yemaneberhan Crippa of Italy in the final mile. Crippa finished 13 seconds behind the winner. Kamohelo Mofolo of Lesotho placed third, narrowly ahead of defending champion Benson Kipruto. Almgren's performance was the third fastest time in the 50-year history of the course. The top seven finishers all recorded times that rank among the top 10 all-time for this specific route.

American Zouhair Talbi finished sixth and posted the fastest time ever recorded by a U.S. runner in this race. In the women's competition, Chepkirui pulled away from Hellen Obiri of Kenya in the final 150 meters. Jessica McClain of the United States crossed the line second, passing Obiri in the final strides. McClain finished six seconds behind the winner.

McClain's result marks the first time a U.S. woman has placed in the top three since 2018. The event was the 50th marathon to run through all five boroughs of New York City. Organizers reported approximately 60,000 runners at the starting line, with nearly half of them being women. Competitors represented more than 140 countries.

The course saw a slight modification for the first time in 15 years. Runners took a different path at Mile 20 when entering the Bronx. The change reduced the number of turns in that area from seven to five, aiming to ease street closures. The race originally began in 1970, with the first six editions held entirely within Central Park.

In the wheelchair events, Marcel Hug won his eighth men's title. He edged out Daniel Romanchuk by just over one second after passing him in the final 100 meters. Catherine Debrunner of Sweden won the women's wheelchair race with a time of 1 hour, 40 minutes and 2 seconds. This was the second fastest time in the event's history, trailing Debrunner's own 2023 record by about 30 seconds.

Susannah Scaroni, the two-time defending champion, finished third in the women's wheelchair race. She competed three months after giving birth to her first child. Scaroni finished more than eight minutes behind Debrunner.