Sweden’s Andreas Almgren delivered one of the most remarkable debut performances in modern marathon history on Sunday, winning the New York City Marathon at his first attempt, while Kenya’s Sheila Chepkirui surged late to reclaim the women’s title in a dramatic all-Kenyan duel.
Almgren, a former half-marathon specialist, crossed the line in 2 hours, 6 minutes and 1 second – the third-fastest time in the race’s 50-year history – after breaking away from Italy’s Yemaneberhan Crippa in the final mile.
Crippa finished 13 seconds back, with Kamohelo Mofolo of Lesotho third, edging out defending champion Benson Kipruto.
The 31-year-old’s victory marked the first time a man had won New York on his marathon debut since Gebre Gebremariam in 2010, and he became the first Swedish man to win the event. “I’m about to start crying,” Almgren said.
“It’s better than anything I could have ever imagined”. He later told reporters that a scouting trip to watch the race last year convinced him to commit to the 26.2-mile distance. “Here we are a year later and I won this race”.
In the women’s race, Chepkirui, the 2024 champion, bided her time through Central Park before unleashing a decisive move with 150 meters remaining to beat compatriot Hellen Obiri, the two-time defending champion, in 2:24:36.
American Jessica McClain produced a stunning late charge to pass Obiri in the final strides and take second, six seconds behind – the first U.S. woman on the podium since 2018.
“The last mile was really tricky,” Chepkirui said. “I knew I had to be patient because Hellen was really strong, so I had to really push up to the finish line. I am so happy”. McClain, who admitted she “didn’t feel great through 18 miles,” described the day as “magical” and credited her late-race surge: “All of a sudden Hellen was coming back to me and I don’t really know what happened”.
The 50th running of the five-borough course featured roughly 60,000 starters from more than 140 countries, with nearly half the field composed of women – a stark contrast to 1976, when just 88 women took part.
In the wheelchair divisions, Switzerland’s Marcel Hug secured an eighth men’s title in a dramatic final-100-meter pass of Daniel Romanchuk, while Sweden’s Catherine Debrunner dominated the women’s race in the second-fastest time in event history.
For Almgren, the victory capped a breakthrough year that included a European half-marathon record in Copenhagen last month. Asked when he realised he could win, he pointed to the final miles. “I just felt like I’ve got the legs today,” he said.
