Almgren Wins New York Marathon on Debut, Chepkirui Claims Second Title

New York: Sweden's Andreas Almgren won the New York City Marathon in his very first marathon appearance, taking the men's title in 2 hours 6 minutes 1 second and becoming the first European-born runner in 30 years to win the race. The last European-born champion was Italy's Giacomo Leone in 2026. Behind him, Italy's Yemaneberhan Crippa finished second, 13 seconds back in 2:06:14, while Lesotho's Kamohelo Mofolo took third in 2:06:26, a further 12 seconds adrift of Crippa. The total spread across the three medallists was just 25 seconds, an unusually narrow margin for a race over 42.195 kilometres. It points to a contest that stayed together and was decided only in the closing kilometres — the kind of race where the tempo over the final two kilometres, rather than the early pace, settles the podium. The significance of Almgren's win goes beyond the clock. For three decades the men's title in New York has been dominated largely by East African and North American runners, and a European-born champion signals a shift in that balance. A time in the region of 2:06 is internationally competitive, and producing it on a marathon debut is notable in itself. Almgren's form had been pointing in this direction well before the race. He won the 10,000 metres title at the European Championships in August and set a European record in the half marathon in September, results that made clear both his endurance and his speed were at a high level going into a longer distance. He was visibly emotional afterwards. "I've got the legs today," he said. "I knew that if I could keep my rhythm, the result could go my way." He added, "I'm about to start crying." Winning a title as prestigious as New York on a first attempt is the biggest achievement of his career, and his reaction said as much. The race also marked a transition. A successful 10,000m runner on the track took one of the sport's most storied road titles at the first attempt — an illustration for those who assume track speed translates automatically to the marathon. It does not, without a different kind of preparation and a different kind of race plan. In the women's race, Kenya's Sheila Chepkirui won in 2 hours 24 minutes 36 seconds, the second New York Marathon victory of her career at the age of 35. Jessica McClain of the United States finished second, six seconds behind in 2:24:42, and Kenya's Hellen Obiri took third in 2:24:43, just one second further back. The total spread across the top three women was seven seconds — a considerably tighter contest than the men's race. The gap of a single second between second and third gives some sense of the intensity over the final few hundred metres, with all three still in contention to the line. Chepkirui explained her tactics afterwards. "I didn't take too many risks early on," she said. "I stayed with the group and saved my energy for the last part." She named Obiri as a very strong opponent whose presence made the race harder, and said the decision to lift the pace in the closing kilometre proved decisive. The New York course is defined by its five-borough route: a start on Staten Island, then Brooklyn, Queens and the Bronx before the finish in Manhattan. The bridges and the changes in elevation along the way have a direct effect on rhythm, which is why the winner here is not always the fastest runner on paper but the one who executes the best plan. Between them, the two titles made a familiar point about distance racing: reputation and past records matter less than how well a runner applies a race plan on the day. For Almgren it was a first marathon; for Chepkirui a second title in New York. The common thread was the same — the right balance of patience and acceleration when it mattered. The result invites fresh questions about the established pecking order in the men's marathon. If Almgren repeats this level over the coming seasons, a new generation of European marathon running may be taking shape. In the women's race, Chepkirui showed that experience still holds its own against younger challengers — and in a race decided by a single second, that experience is often the difference.