Almgren wins New York on his marathon debut as Chepkirui edges Mcclain by six seconds

Andreas Almgren of Sweden won the New York City Marathon on his first attempt at the distance, crossing the line in 2:06:01 on Sunday to claim one of the sport’s most prestigious titles at the first time of asking. The 31-year-old, who holds the European 5,000m record, pulled away from Italy’s Yemaneberhan Crippa over the final mile to win by 13 seconds. Crippa finished in 2:06:14, with Kamohelo Mofolo third in 2:06:26.

The result vindicated the decision to make a debut at one of the hardest courses in the major marathon calendar, where tactics and patience tend to count for more than raw speed. Almgren, a former middle-distance runner who has since moved up through the 5,000m and the half marathon, had been among the most discussed names in the pre-race field, and he delivered on the billing by staying within the lead group before making his decisive move late in the race.

The women’s race was even tighter. Kenya’s Sheila Chepkirui won in 2:24:36, just six seconds clear of the United States’ Jessica Mcclain, who ran 2:24:42. Hellen Obiri, the defending champion, finished third in 2:24:43, a single second behind Mcclain, meaning the top three were separated by only seven seconds after more than two and a half hours of racing. Chepkirui had previously won the New York title in 2024, and this victory adds a second New York title.

The 2026 edition carried extra significance as the 50th anniversary of the five-borough route first used in 1976. Organisers also altered the Bronx section of the course for this year’s race, the first change to that part of the route in 15 years, and the leaders still produced fast times on the revised layout.

For Almgren, the next question is how quickly he moves to the other World Marathon Majors, having shown that his speed translates to the longer distance. For Mcclain, who finished a whisker from the win, the performance confirms her place among the leading American marathoners. And for the sport more broadly, a debutant winning in New York and a three-woman sprint for the podium made for a fitting way to mark half a century of the five-borough marathon.