Andreas Almgren Wins New York City Marathon in Debut, Sheila Chepkirui Takes Women's Title

Andreas Almgren of Sweden won the men’s race of the New York City Marathon on Sunday in his first attempt at the 26.2-mile distance. He finished in 2 hours, 6 minutes and 1 second, pulling away from Yemaneberhan Crippa of Italy in the final mile. Crippa finished 13 seconds back. Kamohelo Mofolo of Lesotho took third. Almgren’s time is the third-fastest in the history of the five-borough course. He is the first Swedish runner to win any major marathon and the first European man to win New York in three decades.

Sheila Chepkirui of Kenya won the women’s race for the second time in three years, finishing in 2:24:36. She pulled clear of defending champion Hellen Obiri in the final 150 meters. American Jess McClain finished second in 2:24:42, overtaking Obiri by four-tenths of a second in the closing strides. McClain’s result is the first podium finish by a U.S. runner in New York since Shalane Flanagan placed third in 2018. More than 60,000 runners started the race, which marked the 50th anniversary of the course that runs through all five boroughs.

Almgren, the 2025 world 10,000-meter bronze medalist, had built his reputation in half-marathons. He stayed with a large lead pack through the demanding, hilly route and then accelerated with one mile remaining. After the finish he told broadcasters that the marathon felt fun and that he had not known what to expect on his debut. Six runners broke 2:07, placing their times among the top ten all-time on the course. American Zouhair Talbi finished sixth and recorded the fastest time ever by a U.S. man in the event.

Chepkirui, 35, had won the race in 2024. She and Obiri broke away from the field with about four miles to go. Obiri stayed on Chepkirui’s shoulder through much of the final stretch before Chepkirui found a final acceleration. The women’s race produced the closest finish among the top three in recent years. McClain’s late surge ended an eight-year drought for American runners on the New York podium.

The 50th running of the five-borough course drew the usual large crowds along the route from Staten Island through Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx and Manhattan into Central Park. Road closures and security arrangements followed the standard pattern for the event. Almgren’s debut victory adds a new name to a list that has long been dominated by East African runners. His half-marathon background and the late-race move suggest he managed the distance without the typical first-marathon fade.

Chepkirui’s repeat title, achieved by a clear margin over both the defending champion and a strong American challenger, confirms her standing among the top marathoners on the current circuit. The results will feed into world rankings and selection discussions for major championships. For New York organizers the 50th anniversary edition produced both a historic first-time winner in the men’s race and a returning champion in the women’s race, with an American on the women’s podium for the first time in nearly a decade.