Sweden’s Andreas Almgren claimed victory in his debut New York City Marathon on Sunday, finishing with a time of 2 hours, 6 minutes, and 1 second. The 31-year-old runner, who recently set a European half-marathon record in Copenhagen, secured the win after breaking away from the lead pack in the final mile. Italian runner Yemaneberhan Crippa finished second with a time of 2:06:14, followed closely by Lesotho’s Kamohelo Mofolo in third at 2:06:26.
Almgren’s win marked a significant milestone as he became the first Swede to capture a major marathon title. Earlier this year, he won the 10,000 meters gold at the European Championships, demonstrating his versatility across long-distance events. During the race, Almgren ran comfortably within a large lead group that included last year’s champion Benson Kipruto, who was aiming to become the first man since Geoffrey Mutai in 2013 to defend his New York title. Kipruto ultimately finished just behind Mofolo.
In the women’s race, Kenyan athlete Sheila Chepkirui successfully defended her title, completing the course in 2:24:36. Chepkirui held off last year’s winner Hellen Obiri, who faded to third place behind American Jessica McClain. This marked Chepkirui’s second victory in New York, having previously denied Obiri a back-to-back win in 2024.
The women’s contest came down to a close duel in the final stretch, with Chepkirui maintaining a narrow lead over Obiri as they powered together down the final mile. Chepkirui credited her ability to hold her ground in the closing stages as decisive to securing the win.
Reflecting on his performance, Almgren expressed surprise and emotion, saying he felt as though he was about to start crying. He noted that when Kipruto increased the pace with five kilometers remaining, Almgren felt confident in his ability to respond and ultimately pull ahead.
The New York City Marathon once again highlighted a competitive field of elite long-distance runners, with performances underscoring the event’s prominence on the global marathon calendar.