Sheila Chepkirui takes 2026 New York City Marathon title, Almgren wins men's debut

Sheila Chepkirui of Kenya retained her title in the women's race at the New York City Marathon on Sunday, finishing in 2 hours, 24 minutes, and 36 seconds. The victory marks her second win in three years for the event. She overtook defending champion Hellen Obiri in the final 150 meters to secure the lead.

Chepkirui described the final stretch as difficult, noting that she had to maintain patience against a strong competitor. She stated that she pushed hard to the finish line knowing Obiri remained a threat. Obiri, a two-time winner who set the course record in 2025, was passed by American Jessica McClain in the final strides. McClain finished six seconds behind Chepkirui, claiming third place.

McClain's result marks the first time a U.S. woman has finished in the top three at the race since 2018. She described the day as magical, admitting she did not feel strong through mile 18 but adjusted her pace as the race progressed. She noted that her initial goal was a top-five finish, which evolved into a podium spot as she closed the gap on Obiri.

In the men's race, Andreas Almgren of Sweden won his first marathon. The 26.2-mile distance was a new challenge for Almgren, who previously focused on half-marathons. He pulled away from Yemaneberhan Crippa of Italy during the final mile to finish in 2 hours, 6 minutes, and 1 second.

Almgren called the result a surprise, stating that he did not expect such a quick finish. He explained that his strategy was to stay near the front and observe the race development. His time ranks as the third fastest in the course's 50-year history. Six runners finished under 2 hours and 7 minutes, placing them in the top 10 all-time for the event.

Crippa finished 13 seconds behind Almgren. Kamohelo Mofolo of Lesotho took third place, edging out defending champion Benson Kipruto. Almgren became the first runner to win his debut at the event since Gebre Gebremariam of Ethiopia in 2010. American Zouhair Talbi finished sixth and recorded the fastest time ever by a U.S. runner in the race.

The race marked the 50th edition to run through all five boroughs of New York City. Participation grew from just over 2,000 competitors in 1976, when only 88 women ran, to approximately 60,000 runners on Sunday. Nearly half of the participants were women, with athletes from more than 140 countries taking the starting line.

A minor course adjustment occurred at mile 20 in the Bronx, a change not made in 15 years. The new route reduced the number of turns in the borough from seven to five and eased street closures. In the wheelchair division, Marcel Hug of Switzerland won his eighth title in the men's race. He passed Daniel Romanchuk in the final 100 meters to win by just over a second.

Catherine Debrunner of Switzerland won the women's wheelchair race with a time of 1:40:02. This marked the second-fastest time in the event's history, trailing her own record from 2023 by about 30 seconds. Susannah Scaroni finished third, competing three months after giving birth to her first child.