Andreas Almgren wins New York Marathon

Andreas Almgren, a 31-year-old Swedish athlete, won the 2026 New York Marathon on Sunday, completing a historic year that included his first European title on the 10,000 meters and his first world title on the half marathon.

Race details and record attempt

Almgren completed the race in 2 hours 6 minutes 1 second on the 42.195 km course, which celebrated its 50th anniversary. The race began at a relatively slow pace, which allowed the possibility of a race record to slip away, as the previous record was set in 2023 at 2h 04:58.

Final stretch and podium finishers

Almgren remained with other favorites, including defending Kenyan champion Benson Kipruto, who attempted to take the lead but was later overtaken. The final two kilometers saw a high-level duel between Almgren and Italian Yeman Crippa, who had previously won the Paris marathon in April.

Historic European achievement

This marked the first time since 1988 that two Europeans led the New York marathon among men. For Almgren, this victory was the "cherry on the cake" of a golden 2026, where he has entered a completely different dimension in his career.

Almgren’s record-breaking year

In January, he broke the European record on the 10 km on the road with a time of 26:45, later surpassed by Frenchman Yann Schrub. In August, he won the 10,000 meters at the European Championships, leaving behind world champion Jimmy Gressier and Yeman Crippa. In September, he won the world title on the half marathon.

Future plans and Olympic ambitions

Almgren plans to continue his career on the marathon but will not abandon the track before the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, where a double 10,000 m / marathon is possible.

Sheila Chepkirui wins women’s race

A few minutes before Almgren's arrival, Kenyan Sheila Chepkirui (2h 24:36) signed her second success on the New York marathon after her victory in 2024. The other big favorite, her compatriot Hellen Obiri, the defending champion in New York, took the third place (2h 24:43), overtaken by a few meters from the finish line by American Jessica McClain (2nd in 2h 24:43).

Women’s race dynamics and outcome

The two Kenyan women had maintained their status as favorites by taking the lead of the race at the 35th kilometer for a duel towards victory that seemed written in advance. However, Obiri, who was already showing some signs of fatigue, cracked in the last kilometer, allowing McClain, who perfectly managed the end of the race, to secure the second place.