New York City Marathon 2026: Chepkirui wins again as Kenyan women take four of the top five places
Sheila Chepkirui won the women's race in New York on 1 November, six seconds ahead of the American Jessica McClain. In the men's race, defending champion Benson Kipruto finished fourth as Sweden's Andreas Almgren won on his marathon debut.
Kenya's Sheila Chepkirui won the New York City Marathon on Sunday, 1 November 2026, in 2:24:36. It is her second New York title, two years after her first. Kenyan women filled four of the top five places.
The women's race
| Place | Athlete | Country | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sheila Chepkirui | Kenya | 2:24:36 |
| 2 | Jessica McClain | USA | 2:24:42 |
| 3 | Hellen Obiri | Kenya | 2:24:43 |
| 4 | Edna Kiplagat | Kenya | 2:25:42 |
| 5 | Mercy Chelangat | Kenya | 2:25:46 |
Chepkirui broke away from Obiri in Central Park and held on: only seven seconds separated the top three.
The men's race
| Place | Athlete | Country | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Andreas Almgren (marathon debut) | Sweden | 2:06:01 |
| 2 | Yemaneberhan Crippa | Italy | 2:06:14 |
| 3 | Kamohelo Mofolo | Lesotho | 2:06:26 |
| 4 | Benson Kipruto | Kenya | 2:06:27 |
| 5 | Haftu Strintzos | Australia | 2:06:34 |
Defending champion Benson Kipruto was dropped in the final mile and missed the podium by one second.
Why it matters: big-city marathon wins bring prize money, appearance fees and sponsorship that flow back to training camps and towns such as Iten and Kaptagat. They also keep Kenya's name at the top of world distance running, which helps athletics tourism. See our explainer on Kenya and athletics.
Prefer to watch? Nchiwise explains it on videoShort videos on how countries develop and scale.
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