New York City Marathon: Andreas Almgren, Sheila Chepkirui win; Jess McClain ends U.S. podium drought

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Almgren, the 2025 World 10,000m bronze medalist, won in 2:06:01 in his marathon debut, becoming the first Swedish runner to win any major marathon. He pulled away from Yemaneberhan Crippa of Italy by 13 seconds.

Chepkirui, 35, crossed the Central Park finish line in 2:24:36, prevailing by six seconds over surging American Jess McClain.

McClain overtook two-time New York City champ Hellen Obiri of Kenya by 41 hundredths of a second in the final strides, marking the first podium for a U.S. female or male runner in New York City since Shalane Flanagan was third in her title defense in 2018.

McClain, fourth at the 2024 Olympic Trials in the marathon and the 10,000m, was also the top American at the Boston Marathon in 2025 and 2026. The Scottsdale, Arizona, resident is a contender to make her first Olympics at age 36 come the March 2028 marathon trials in St. Louis.

Edna Kiplagat, the 2010 New York City champ from Kenya, finished fourth on Sunday at age 46.

2026 New York City Marathon Results Results from the 55th New York City Marathon held on Nov. 1, 2026. Nick Zaccardi, Nick Zaccardi, Olympic gold medalist Sifan Hassan of the Netherlands and 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials champion Fiona O’Keeffe withdrew three weeks before the race due to sickness (Hassan) and left hamstring surgery (O’Keeffe).

The top 2028 U.S. Olympic hopeful on the men’s side on Sunday was Zouhair Talbi in sixth in 2:06:43, a time faster than the American course record.

Talbi, who was 35th in the Paris Olympic marathon for Morocco, joined the U.S. Army Reserve in 2025. He gained U.S. citizenship and was granted a nationality switch for competition to the U.S., going into effect in August 2027, allowing him to race the 2028 Olympic Trials.

At the 2026 Boston Marathon on April 20, Talbi ran the fastest marathon ever for a U.S. citizen of 2:03:45 (fifth place). Boston times are not record eligible due to the course layout.

Conner Mantz was 11th (2:07:27) on Sunday in his first marathon since lowering the American record to 2:04:43 in Chicago in October 2025. New York City has the slowest times of the major American marathons due to its undulating course.

The Swiss swept the wheelchair races with Marcel Hug (eighth title, one second ahead of American Daniel Romanchuk) and Catherine Debrunner (second title, by 8:25 over American Tatyana McFadden).

American Susannah Scaroni, who won in 2022, 2024 and 2025, was third in her first race since having son Jonah on Aug. 6.

New York City marked the last World Marathon Major of 2026, though the Valencia Marathon in Spain (Dec. 6) traditionally produces fast times.

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