New York Marathon: Almgren Wins on Debut, First European-Born Champion in 30 Years; Chepkirui Claims Second Women's Title

New York: The story of one of the world's most prestigious marathons was written by a runner who had never run a marathon before. Sweden's 31-year-old Andreas Almgren won the men's race at the New York City Marathon in 2 hours, 6 minutes and 1 second. In a 42.195-kilometre race where experience is usually considered the biggest weapon, Almgren broke that assumption on his very first attempt. This victory is more than a personal achievement. It also ends a gap of three decades. The last time a European-born runner won the men's title at the New York Marathon was in 2026, when Italy's Giacomo Leone triumphed. Since then, the race has been dominated by African and North American runners. Almgren ended that monopoly. This year's contest was not a fast race in the traditional sense. It was a race in which tactics mattered more than raw pace. Behind Almgren, Italy's Yemaneberhan Crippa finished second, 13 seconds back. Third place went to Lesotho's Kamohelo Mofolo, another 12 seconds behind Crippa. That means the total gap between the top three was just 25 seconds. In a long race like the marathon, that number says a lot. When the top three are within 25 seconds, it means the contest stretched to the final kilometres and the outcome was decided very late. This is the opposite of races in which one runner breaks away in the middle and the rest fight for second. Here, all three stayed together until the end. This has already been a remarkable year for Almgren. In August he won gold in the 10,000 metres at the European Championships. In September he set a European record in the half marathon. So before he even set foot in New York, he had both form and confidence. The question was whether his success on the track and over half the distance would translate to the full marathon. He answered it by running. After the race, Almgren said: 'I had the legs today. I knew that if I stuck to my plan, the result could go my way.' He also admitted that his emotions were getting out of control in the final kilometre. 'I'm about to start crying,' he said. It was the natural reaction of a runner winning a title on his marathon debut. There is another dimension to Almgren's win. He is a European-born runner, and in this race that identity becomes significant. Europe's presence in long-distance running has grown stronger over the past few decades, but in a road marathon like New York, a European-born runner had not stood at the top for three decades. Since Leone's victory in 2026, the men's title had stayed with African and North American runners. Almgren ended that tradition. The win is also a signal for European long-distance running. European runners have enjoyed consistent success on the track, but their performance in road marathons had long been questioned in the men's category. Almgren's victory gives that debate a new twist. Drawing a long-term conclusion from one win would be premature, but it does show that European runners can be competitive in the marathon. Crippa, who finished second, also represented Europe. The Italian stayed just 13 seconds behind Almgren, proving that European strength at the top is not limited to one man. However, the report gave no detailed account of Crippa's performance and no statement from him emerged. Third-placed Mofolo comes from Lesotho. His name, too, appeared only through his country and the seconds by which he trailed. In other words, of the three men's medallists, detailed information was available only about the winner; the other two were largely confined to the results table. In the women's race, Kenya's 35-year-old Sheila Chepkirui won in 2 hours, 24 minutes and 36 seconds. It was her second victory at the New York Marathon. She is therefore a former champion of this race and has once again written her name into the list of winners. But if you look at the gaps between the medallists, the women's race was far closer than the men's. America's Jessica McClain finished second, just 6 seconds behind Chepkirui. Third place went to Kenya's Hellen Obiri, only 1 second further back. That means the total gap among the top three was just 7 seconds, compared with 25 seconds in the men's race. That figure matters. In a 42-kilometre race, having three runners within 7 seconds is extraordinary. It means that in the women's race nothing was settled until the final few hundred metres. McClain and Obiri stayed close to Chepkirui throughout and the gap only opened near the finish. This is the clearest evidence of the contest the women's race delivered. Chepkirui spoke about her tactics after the race. 'I knew the race would stretch to the final kilometre,' she said. 'I didn't try to go too far ahead early. My goal was to save energy for the final part.' She described Obiri as a very strong rival. Obiri's name matters because Chepkirui directly identified her as her main challenge. Both are Kenyan and the two have met before. Obiri finished third this time, but her time was only 1 second worse than McClain's. That makes clear she was also a title contender and stayed in the race until the end. McClain's second place is significant for American audiences. An American runner staying so close in the top contest creates domestic resonance. However, no detailed account of her performance is available and no statement came from her side. One more thing emerged in the women's race. The report did not say when Chepkirui last won the title, but the reference to a 'second victory' makes clear she has succeeded in this race before. That makes her achievement even more significant. This year's event was celebrated as its 50th anniversary. The New York City Marathon is counted among the biggest and most prestigious road races in the world. Its special feature is that it passes through five boroughs — starting on Staten Island, then Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx and finally Manhattan. That route makes it one of the most unique marathons in the world. Running through five boroughs is not just a geographical detail. Each borough has its own crowd, its own rhythm and its own challenge. The race starts on Staten Island, where temperature and wind have the greatest effect. Brooklyn's crowds and atmosphere provide energy. Queens and the Bronx present a different kind of challenge, and in Manhattan the pressure of the final kilometres is greatest. What stood out most in this year's event was the difference between the men's and women's contests. The men's winner's time was 2:06:01, while the women's winner's time was 2:24:36. Both races were close, but the gap among the women's medallists was much smaller. The men's full result was: first, Andreas Almgren (Sweden) 2:06:01; second, Yemaneberhan Crippa (Italy) 2:06:14; third, Kamohelo Mofolo (Lesotho) 2:06:26. In the women's race: first, Sheila Chepkirui (Kenya) 2:24:36; second, Jessica McClain (USA) 2:24:42; third, Hellen Obiri (Kenya) 2:24:43. Almgren's win matters for another reason. He already had track success and a European half-marathon record. But the marathon is a different mental and physical test. Many excellent track runners struggle when they step up to the marathon. Almgren proved on his first attempt that both his body and his mindset were ready for the challenge. His victory also revived an old question about this race. European-born runners had not won the title for 30 years. Since 2026, the field has been particularly associated with African runners. Almgren ended that long wait, and did so on his first attempt. But there is another side to this victory that cannot be ignored. In long-distance running, many athletes compete for European countries despite being born in Africa. That makes the distinction between 'European-born' and 'European' or 'competing for Europe' important. If the title is viewed by nationality or by the continent an athlete represents, the picture may look different. This report highlighted the win on the basis of birth. It is also worth noting that Almgren's win was framed by continent rather than by country. If he were seen as the first Swedish runner to win the title, that would be a different and perhaps even stronger story. The report mentions his nationality but does not discuss this angle. In any case, this year's event in New York made one thing clear. In both the men's and women's races, the titles were decided within small margins, and both contests stretched to the end. For Almgren, the year became memorable — European Championship gold, a European half-marathon record and now the New York Marathon title. For Chepkirui, it was a second victory, reflecting her long competitive capacity. As for expectations, it is not clear how much of a title favourite Almgren was before the race. But his reaction afterwards shows how much he had been waiting for this. A response like 'I'm about to start crying' shows that the win was an emotional moment for him. Looking ahead, the two titles leave a question. Can Almgren repeat this success? Will Chepkirui move towards a third victory? And will this rise of European men's runners become a trend or remain a single event? Answers will come in the races ahead. For now, the story written in New York is this — one runner won a title on his marathon debut, another defended her crown, and both kept spectators thrilled to the final metre.