Hellen Obiri wins the New York City Marathon (© AFP / Getty Images)
Defending champions Hellen Obiri and Benson Kipruto will return to the TCS New York City Marathon on Sunday (1), going in search of further success against top-class opposition at the World Athletics Platinum Label road race.
It will be a special edition of the event as it celebrates 50 years since the race first switched to its famous route that travels through each of the city’s five boroughs.
Two-time winner Obiri, who last year broke Margaret Okayo’s 2003 course record with her victorious run of 2:19:51, is looking to become part of an exclusive club of women to have come out on top in New York at least three times. The only other members of that group are Grete Waitz (9 wins), Mary Keitany (4) and Paula Radcliffe (3).
Following a challenging marathon debut there in 2022, when Obiri finished sixth, the Colorado-based two-time world 5000m champion has learned to love the streets of New York, bouncing back to win the 2023 edition of the marathon and finishing second in 2024 before last year’s victory.
All of her four World Marathon Major wins to date have come on US soil – the others arriving in Boston – and earlier this year she won the NYC Half Marathon before finishing second to Tigst Assefa’s women-only world record on her debut at the London Marathon in April with a personal best of 2:15:53.
Obiri has the fastest time in a women’s field that will be without Olympic champion Sifan Hassan, who has withdrawn after illness, but will feature four women who have run under 2:20. Aside from Obiri, that list includes the 2024 winner Sheila Chepkirui, who is looking to finish in the top three for the third year running, Viola Cheptoo and the 2010 champion Edna Kiplagat.
Chepkirui won the Nagoya Women’s Marathon in March and was third in New York 12 months ago in 2:20:24 behind Sharon Lokedi’s run of 2:20:07 as all three of the podium finishers ran inside that previous course record of 2:22:31. Boston fourth-place finisher Mary Chelangat also looks set to be in contention this time around.
Last year’s leading US athlete, fourth-placed Fiona O’Keeffe, will be missing following hamstring surgery but the battle among the home athletes will be a fierce one.
Jessica McClain had a fine run in Boston this year as she finished fifth in 2:20:49, but there is also plenty of interest around the marathon debut of Weini Kelati, who lowered her own North American half marathon record to 1:06:04 in Barcelona in March. Annie Frisbie, with a marathon best of 2:22:00, adds to the US challenge.
Germany’s Fabienne Königstein, sixth in Berlin last year with 2:22:17, is also in the field, while Uruguay’s world bronze medallist Julia Paternain – eighth in London this year – will tackle her second World Marathon Major.
No man has won New York in successive years since John Kagwe in 1998, but Kipruto is looking to change that and will be hoping he can win with more room to spare this time around.
The 35-year-old Kenyan hit the tape in 2:08:09 last year as he pipped his compatriot Alexander Mutiso on the line in Central Park by just three hundredths of a second – the tightest finish the event has ever seen.
Kipruto, a four-time World Marathon Major winner who trains alongside world record-holder Sabastian Sawe, has been in good form so far this year, finishing third in Boston in 2:02:50.
Deresa Geleta of Ethiopia, sixth in London, is the second-fastest man in the field with 2:02:38 and will be experiencing New York for the first time, as will Kenyan CyBrian Kotut, who has a best of 2:03:22, while Geoffrey Kamworor is a two-time champion and no stranger to success in the event.
With a best of 2:04:20, Dutch record-holder Abdi Nageeye will have his eye on adding to his New York win in 2024.
Swedish former 800m runner Andreas Almgren broke the European record with 58:06 on his way to the half marathon title at the World Athletics Road Running Championships in Copenhagen in September, a performance that followed hot on the heels of a commanding 10,000m win at the European Championships in Birmingham, where he broke the championship record with 27:23.44.
The 31-year-old is also the European record-holder over 5000m and 10km but, rather than choose a marathon course more renowned for speed, he has opted for the far more challenging, championship-like New York route as the venue for his marathon debut.
As with the women’s race, the contest between the US men in the field should be fascinating. Conner Mantz is the North American record-holder with 2:04:43 from Chicago last year. Zouhair Talbi ran even quicker in Boston with 2:03:45 for fifth place, but the Massachusetts course is not record eligible. Ryan Ford and Joe Klecker, who have bests of 2:05:46 and 2:05:56 from Boston, will also have the support of the crowd.
Great Britain’s Patrick Dever, initially fourth on his marathon debut in New York last year with 2:08:58 but subsequently upgraded to a podium spot after third-placed Albert Korir’s suspension for doping offences, returns after running 2:06:18 in London.
Peter Lynch also impressed in London, breaking the Irish record with 2:06:08, and he too will toe the start line.
Leading contenders
Women
Hellen Obiri (KEN) 2:15:53
Sheila Chepkirui (KEN) 2:17:29
Viola Cheptoo (KEN) 2:19:05
Edna Kiplagat (KEN) 2:19:50
Mercy Chelangat (KEN) 2:20:30
Jessica McClain (USA) 2:20:49
Annie Frisbie (USA) 2:22:00
Fabienne Königstein (GER) 2:22:17
Carrie Ellwood (USA) 2:22:53
Giovanna Epis (ITA) 2:23:46
Rie Kawauchi (JPN) 2:24:16
Amanda Vestri (USA) 2:24:49
Lauren Hagans (USA) 2:25:47
Julia Paternain (URU) 2:25:47
Phily Bowden (GBR) 2:25:57
Paige Wood (USA) 2:26:02
Steph Bruce (USA) 2:27:47
Roberta Groner (USA) 2:29:09
Mica Rivera Wood (PER) 2:29:13
Cailie Hughes (USA) debut
Weini Kelati (USA) debut
Men
Benson Kipruto (KEN) 2:02:16
Deresa Geleta (ETH) 2:02:38
CyBrian Kotut (KEN) 2:03:22
Zouhair Talbi (USA) 2:03:45
Abdi Nageeye (NED) 2:04:20
Geoffrey Kamworor (KEN) 2:04:23
Conner Mantz (USA) 2:04:43
Kengo Suzuki (JPN) 2:04:56
Yemaneberhan Crippa (ITA) 2:05:18
Edward Cheserek (KEN) 2:05:24
Ryota Kondo (JPN) 2:05:39
Ryan Ford (USA) 2:05:46
Joe Klecker (USA) 2:05:56
Peter Lynch (IRL) 2:06:08
Patrick Dever (GBR) 2:06:18
Haftu Strintzos (AUS) 2:06:20
Jack Rowe (GBR) 2:07:47
Kamohelo Mofolo (LES) 2:08:50
Sam Chelanga (USA) 2:08:50
JP Flavin (USA) 2:09:17
Turner Wiley (USA) 2:09:27
Andrew Colley (USA) 2:09:33
Robert Miranda (USA) 2:09:40
Joel Reichow (USA) 2:09:56
Andreas Almgren (SWE) debut
Patrick Kiprop (KEN) debut
Ahmed Muhumed (USA) debut
