60,000 runners cross the start line as Almgren wins NYC Marathon

A record 60,000 athletes stepped up to the starting line on Sunday for the 50th New York City Marathon, a milestone that marks half a century of the race traversing all five boroughs. The event saw Sweden's Andreas Almgren claim the men's title in his debut and Kenya's Sheila Chepkirui secure her second victory in the women's race.

Almgren, a 26-year-old former half-marathon specialist, broke from Italy's Yemaneberhan Crippa in the final mile. He crossed the finish line in 2 hours, 6 minutes and 1 second, thirteen seconds ahead of Crippa. Lesotho's Kamohelo Mofolo took third place, finishing ahead of defending champion Benson Kipruto of Kenya. Almgren's time stands as the third fastest in the course's history, and the top seven finishers all posted times within the all-time top ten.

In the women's race, Chepkirui won in 2:24:36, pulling away from countrywoman Hellen Obiri in the final 150 meters. American Jessica McClain finished second, passing Obiri in the final strides to claim her first top-three result in the event since 2018. McClain finished six seconds behind Chepkirui. Zouhair Talbi of the United States finished sixth in the men's race, setting the fastest time ever recorded by a U.S. runner in this marathon.

The 2026 field included competitors from more than 140 countries. The race marked the first course change in 15 years, with a route adjustment at Mile 20 in the Bronx. Organizers altered the path to reduce turns from seven to five, a move intended to ease street closures in that area. The event traces its roots to 1970, when it ran solely in loops within Central Park before expanding to the boroughs in 1976 to coincide with the U.S. bicentennial.

In the wheelchair division, Marcel Hug of Sweden won the men's race for the eighth time. He defeated Daniel Romanchuk by slightly more than one second, passing the Canadian in the final 100 meters after Romanchuk had taken the lead in the last mile. Catherine Debrunner, also of Sweden, won the women's wheelchair race in 1:40:02. Her time is the second fastest in race history, trailing her own record from 2023 by about 30 seconds. Susannah Scaroni, who gave birth three months ago, finished third in the women's wheelchair event, more than eight minutes behind Debrunner.