Home › Race Coverage › 55th TCS New York City Marathon:  Almgren wins debut, Chepkirui earns second NYC win

55th TCS New York City Marathon:  Almgren wins debut, Chepkirui earns second NYC win

By on • ( 0 )

By Clay Shaw and Karen Mitchell

11.1.26 New York, NY—Andreas Almgren of Sweden, who was both the 2026 European Championships 10,000-meter track champion (Birmingham, England) and the World Athletics-Copenhagen Half-Marathon champ, had a fantastic debut in winning the New York City Marathon in 2:06:01. Yemaneberhan Crippa of Italy battled Almgren until 59th Street, finishing 2nd in 2:06:14. Kamohelo Mofolo of Lesotho, ran strong at the end to move up to third place in 2:06:26. Benson Kipruto of Kenya, the 2025 NYC champ was fourth in 2:06:27. Haftu Strintzos of Australia quietly ran strong and moved up to fifth 2:06:34. Zouhair Talbi of Colorado Springs was sixth and first American in 2:06:43.

Two former NYC Marathon champions, Shelia Chepkirui (2024) and Hellen Obiri (2023 and 2025), both from Kenya, took charge of the lead in Central Park. The duo dropped nearly everyone from the once seven-woman pack at mile 21. But American Jessica McClain was never totally gone from the picture and deftly ran the tangents in Central Park. At the turn onto 59th Street, McClain was chasing the duo, and was less than 100 meters behind.  On the final Central Park East section, Chepkirui broke free from Obiri to win her second NYC Marathon with a 2:24:36. Jessica McClain of Phoenix never gave up and surged by Obiri just yards from the finish line to earn second in 2:24:42. It was the highest USA finish at New York since the 2017 win by Shalane Flanagan. Obiri was just a second back from McClain in 2:24:43. Edna Kiplagat of Kenya, age 46, was fourth in 2:25:42. Edna won the 2010 NYC Marathon in 2:28:20 and is truly amazing. Mercy Chelangat of Kenya was fifth in 2:25:46.

McClain led the USA women with her stunning race to earn second overall. Other USA woman had top ten races led by sixth place overall Carrie Elwood of Boulder, CO in 2:26:28. The debut marathon of Weini Kelati of Flagstaff, AZ placed her seventh in 2:26:51 and earned her an Olympic Trials Qualification (OQ). Paige Wood of Flagstaff, AZ (Pennsylvania native) was seventh in 2:27:29. Lauren Hagens of Flagstaff, AZ was thirteenth in 2:29:42 and second master. Other OQ performances were set by Lily Murphy of New York in 2:30:06 from wave 1, Grace Clements of Buchanan, GA in 2:33:50, and Callie Hughes of Bloomington, MN in 2:36:09 from the pro field in her first marathon. Too cool to miss was 48-year old Roberta Groner of Rochelle Park, NJ rocking a 2:35:05 and third master.

The 55th running of the TCS New York City Marathon celebrated its 50th Anniversary of the Five Borough course; 61,070 athletes finished.

Marcel Hug of Switzerland won his 8th NYC Marathon in 1:28:14. It was tough for Hug, as Daniel Romanchuk of Champaign, IL stayed with him and took the lead on the last .2 of the marathon. Hug retook the lead, with Romanchuk finishing just one second back in 1:28:15.

Catherine Debrunner of Switzerland who in 2026 has won in Tokyo, London, Berlin, and Chicago, added New York to the victories in 1:40:02. Tatyana McFadden of Dagsboro, DE was second in 1:48:28. Susannah Scaroni of Champaign, IL returned to racing after birth of her new baby boy, and was third in 1:48:32.

Top Women

  1. 2:24:36 Sheila Chepkirui, 35, Kenya
  2. 2:24:42 Jessica McClain, 34, Phoenix, AZ
  3. 2:24:43 Hellen Obiri, 36, Kenya
  4. 2:25:42 Edna Kiplagat, 46, Kenya
  5. 2:25:46 Mercy Chelangat, 29, Kenya
  6. 2:26:28 Carrie Ellwood, 32, Boulder, CO
  7. 2:26:51 Weini Kelati, 29, Flagstaff, AZ
  8. 2:27:29 Paige Wood, 30, Flagstaff, AZ
  9. 2:28:34 Viola Cheptoo, 37, Kenya
  10. 2:28:49 Fabienne Konigstein, 33, Germany
  11. 2:28:55 Giovanna Epis, 38, Italy
  12. 2:29:09 Julia Paternain, 27, Uruguay
  13. 2:29:42 Lauren Hagans, 40, Flagstaff, AZ
  14. 2:29:52 Mica Rivera Wood, 26, Peru
  15. 2:30:04 Annie Frisbie, 29, Edina, MN
  16. 2:30:06 Lily Murphy, 22, New York, NY
  17. 2:30:16 Amanda Vestri, 27, St Augustine, FL
  18. 2:30:45 Phily Bowden, 31, Great Britain
  19. 2:31:29 Rie Kawauchi, 31, Japan
  20. 2:33:21 Monica Hebner, 27, Austin, TX
  21. 2:33:50 Grace Clements, 26, Buchanan, GA
  22. 2:35:55 Roberta Groner, 48, Rochelle Park, NJ
  23. 2:36:03 Keelah Barger, 26, Salt Lake City, UT
  24. 2:36:09 Cailie Hughes, 27, Bloomington, MN
  25. 2:36:12 Melanie Magarey, 40, Australia

Top Men

  1. 2:06:01 Andreas Almgren, 31, Sweden
  2. 2:06:14 Yemaneberhan Crippa, 30, Italy
  3. 2:06:26 Kamohelo Mofolo, 21, Lesotho
  4. 2:06:27 Benson Kipruto, 35, Kenya
  5. 2:06:34 Haftu Strintzos, 27, Australia
  6. 2:06:43 Zouhair Talbi, 31, Colorado Springs, CO
  7. 2:07:08 Ryota Kondo, 27, Japan
  8. 2:07:09 Ahmed Muhumed, 28, Flagstaff, AZ
  9. 2:07:09 Geoffrey Kamworor, 33, Kenya
  10. 2:07:17 Ryan Ford, 29, Boulder, CO
  11. 2:07:27 Conner Mantz, 29, Provo, UT
  12. 2:07:42 Cybrian Kotut, 34, Kenya
  13. 2:07:58 Abdi Nageeye, 37, Netherlands
  14. 2:08:54 Aidan Troutner, 27, Provo, UT
  15. 2:09:28 Joe Klecker, 29, Boulder, CO
  16. 2:09:43 Joel Reichow, 33, St Paul, MN
  17. 2:09:53 Patrick Dever, 30, Great Britain
  18. 2:10:01 Patrick Kiprop, 26, Kenya
  19. 2:10:03 Peter Lynch, 28, Ireland
  20. 2:10:32 Merga Gemeda, 27, Minnetonka, MN
  21. 2:10:49 Andrew Colley, 35, Blowing Rock, NC
  22. 2:11:32 Edward Cheserek, 32, Kenya
  23. 2:12:15 Kengo Suzuki, 31, Japan
  24. 2:12:19 Mohammed Bati, 27, St Paul, MN
  25. 2:12:24 Turner Wiley, 33, Issaquah, WA
Susannah Scaroni of Champaign, IL was third in 1:48:32.
The elite women enter Manhattan. Hellen Obiri, Jessica McClain, Sheila Chepkirui, and Edna Kiplagat would place in the top four.
Driving the bus into Manhattan, former champs Hellen Obiri and Sheila Chepkirui lead the way. Jessica MClain of Phoenix would place second and Edna Kiplagat, 46, Kenya would place fourth in 2:25:42 and top master.
Julia Paternain of Uruguay was twelfth in 2:29:09.
Fabienne Königstein of Germany, Giovanna Epis of Italy, and Mica Rivera Wood of Peru all ran under 2:30.
Amanda Vestri of St Augustine, FL was 17th in 2:30:16.
Rie Kawauchi of Japan was 19th in 2:31:29.
Monica Hebner of Austin, TX was twentieth in 2:33:21.
Roberta Groner, 48, Rochelle Park, NJ placed 22nd in 2:35:55 and third master. Stephanie Bruce, 42, of Flagstaff, AZ was 28th in 2:38:57.
Zouhair Talbi of Colorado Springs leads the pro men into Manhattan. Talbi was top American and sixth overall in 2:06:43.
Zouhair Talbi of Colorado Springs, Andreas Almgren of Sweden, and Geoffrey Kamworor of Kenya run into Manhattan.
Ryan Ford of Boulder, CO, and Conner Mantz of Provo, UT race into Manhattan. Ford was tenth in 2:07:17. Mantz was eleventh in 2:07:27.
Aidan Troutner of Provo, UT was 14th in 2:08:54. Joe Klecker of Boulder, CO was 15th in 2:09:28.
Joel Reichow of St Paul, MN was 16th in 2:09:43.
Andrew Colley of Blowing Rock, NC was 21st in 2:10:49.
Kengo Suzuki of Japan was 23rd in 2:12:15.
Mohammed Bati of St Paul, MN was 24th in 2:12:19.
JP Flavin of Ann Arbor, MI was 26th in 2:12:34.
Jessica McClain of Phoenix, AZ was second in 2:24:42.
Carrie Ellwood of Boulder, CO was sixth in 2:26:28 and second American.
Weni Kelati of Flagstaff, AZ was seventh in 2:26:51 in her first marathon.
Paige Wood of Flagstaff, AZ was eighth in 2:27:29.
Fabienne Königstein of Germany was tenth in 2:28:49.
Lauren Hagans of Flagstaff, AZ was 13th in 2:29:42 and second master.
Annie Frisbie of Edina, MN was 15th in 2:30:04.
Lily Murphy of New York, NY started in wave 1 and ran a 2:30:06 placing sixteenth and earning an Olympic Marathon Trials spot.
Andreas Almgren of Sweden won his debut marathon in 2:06:01. Yemaneberhan Crippa of Italy was second in 2:06:14.
Kamohelo Mofolo of Lesotho was third in 2:06:26.
Haftu Strintzos of Australia was fifth in 2:06:34.
Ahmed Muhumed of Flagstaff, AZ was eighth in 2:07:09 in his debut marathon; he was second American.
Geoffrey Kamworor of Kenya, the 2017 and 2019 NYC Champion, was ninth in 2:07:09.
Conner Mantz of Provo, UT was eleventh in 2:07:27.
Merga Gemeda of Minnetonka, MN was twentieth in 2:10:32.
Sam Chelanga of Fayetteville, NC was 28th in 2:17:10 and top master.
Jessica McClain of Phoenix ran the tangents wisely and sprinted home in second place in 2:24:42.
Edna Kiplagat of Kenya is 46 and finished fourth overall in 2:25:42. Edna won the NYC Marathon in 2010.

‹

Categories: Race Coverage

Tags: , , ,

Leave a Reply