Swede Andreas Almgren Wins NYC Marathon on Debut

WHO:

Daily Mail Sports - Andreas Almgren of Sweden won the men’s New York City Marathon in his debut at the event.

Daily Mail Sports - Sheila Chepkirui of Kenya won the women’s race.

ABC News - Sheila Chepkirui won the women’s race for the second time; her previous victory was in 2024.

ABC News - Hellen Obiri, a Kenyan runner and two-time race winner, finished behind Chepkirui and Jessica McClain.

ABC News - American Jessica McClain finished second, six seconds behind Chepkirui; it was the first time a U.S. woman had finished in the top three since 2018.

The New York Times - Ameerah Omar, co-captain of Girls Run NYC, had completed the marathon four times. She said the Queensboro Bridge is the hardest section because spectators are absent for an extended stretch: “You are left with your mind and your training, and that can be very challenging.”

The New York Times - Amir Figueroa, 42, was running his sixth New York City Marathon. He said feeling good at the Queensboro Bridge predicts a good race; breaking down there means “the last half is going to be horrible.”

The New York Times - Connie Brown, 82, of Sarasota, Florida, was set to run her 46th marathon and holds the female record for the most New York City Marathon runs. She called the final seven miles the hardest, saying, “You get it in your head that you’re almost there, but you’re not.”

The New York Times - Jeff Thies, 31, of Greenpoint was running his fourth marathon in the sub-elite field. He described the Fifth Avenue section as “a slow gradual climb” where “Everyone’s legs are screaming at them.”

The New York Times - Rich Campbell, 69, of the Upper West Side had run every New York City Marathon since 1999. He said runners can encounter problems anywhere: “Almost every runner has some issue along the 26 miles, whether it’s in Mile 1 or Mile 25.”

WHAT:

ABC News - Chepkirui pulled away from Obiri in the final 150 meters to win in 2 hours, 24 minutes and 36 seconds. McClain passed Obiri in the final few strides.

ABC News - The race was the 50th time the event had run through all five boroughs; it had just over 2,000 competitors in its seventh running, including 88 women.

ABC News - About 60,000 runners reached the starting line, nearly half of them women.

The New York Times - About 200 runners withdrew between Mile 18 and the 30K marker, at about 18.6 miles, in the previous year’s race—the highest number of withdrawals for any course section, according to New York Road Runners.

The New York Times - Strava data showed runners averaged a 16 percent slowdown at Mile 20 compared with their pace over the first eight miles in the 2025 race; more than 35,000 runners logged that race on Strava.

The New York Times - Runners slowed about 21 percent at Mile 24, the largest pace drop across the course, according to Strava data.

WHERE:

ABC News - The marathon ran through all five boroughs of New York City.

The New York Times - The Queensboro Bridge is a difficult uphill section around Mile 15; runners then descend onto First Avenue, continue toward the Bronx, and encounter a gradual climb on Fifth Avenue around Mile 24.

WHY:

The New York Times - The Queensboro Bridge is challenging because of its uphill grade and the sudden absence of spectators; the late-race Fifth Avenue climb is difficult when runners’ legs are fatigued.

HOW:

ABC News - Chepkirui secured the women’s win by separating from Obiri in the final 150 meters.

Sweden’s Andreas Almgren won the men’s New York City Marathon on his debut. Kenya’s Sheila Chepkirui claimed her second women’s title, finishing in two hours, 24 minutes. American Jessica McClain placed second, marking the first U.S. women’s podium finish since 2018.