New York: Sweden's Almgren wins the New York City Marathon on his debut as Kenya's Chepkirui repeats as champion

New York — Sweden's Andreas Almgren won the New York City Marathon on Sunday, November 1, on his debut at the distance, in 2:06:01, and Kenya's Sheila Chepkirui, 35, claimed her second title in three years in 2:24:36, in the 55th edition of the race, run through the city's five boroughs with nearly 60,000 runners, a record field, according to organizers.

Almgren, the world half-marathon champion and 2025 world 10,000-meter bronze medalist, broke away from the lead group after 35 kilometers and crossed the finish line in Central Park 13 seconds ahead of Italy's Yemaneberhan Crippa (2:06:14). Third was Kamohelo Mofolo of Lesotho in 2:06:26, on the day he turned 21. He is the first Swede to win in New York and the first to win on his debut since 2010, according to NBC Sports. Defending champion Benson Kipruto of Kenya finished fourth in 2:06:27.

In the women's race, Chepkirui pulled away from two-time champion Hellen Obiri over the final two kilometers and won by six seconds over American Jessica McClain (2:24:42), who passed Obiri by 41 hundredths of a second in the closing meters to give the United States its first podium, men's or women's, in New York since Shalane Flanagan in 2018. Obiri was third in 2:24:43, and veteran Edna Kiplagat, the 2010 champion, finished fourth at age 46.

The top American man was Zouhair Talbi, sixth in 2:06:43, and Conner Mantz was 11th in 2:07:27. In the wheelchair races, the Swiss swept: Marcel Hug won his eighth title in 1:28:14 and Catherine Debrunner her second in 1:40:02. The race closed the 2026 calendar of the World Marathon Majors.

Photo: Reuters

Source: NBC Sports