Swede wins the TCS New York City Marathon in 2:06:01 as Sheila Chepkirui edges a tight women's race and American Jess McClain finishes fast for second.

Andreas Almgren arrived in the Big Apple as the most talked-about marathon debutant in years and he lived up to the hype in style, winning the TCS New York City Marathon in 2:06:01 and making it look almost easy.

The Swede came to Central Park as European 10,000m champion and world half-marathon champion, yet had never covered the full 26.2 miles, even in training. His entry was revealed in August, days after his triumph in Birmingham and the questions since had been whether a track-bred runner could handle New York's bridges, hills and tactical racing against seasoned marathoners. He answered them emphatically.

How the race was won

Almgren stayed patient in a big lead group, with 15 men still together at 35km. The race only really came alive when defending champion Benson Kipruto produced a 4:38 24th mile, which whittled the contenders down to three: Kipruto, Almgren and Italy's Yeman Crippa. Almgren moved to the front for the first time shortly before 40km and Crippa hung on for another kilometre, but a second surge on Central Park South settled it. By the finish Almgren had time to jog the last few metres, waving to the crowd.

“I've probably never felt so emotional after a race ever,” said Almgren.

Crippa was second in 2:06:14, 13 seconds back, with Lesotho's Kamohelo Mofolo third in a PB of 2:06:26, one second clear of Kipruto. Australia's Haftu Strintzos was fifth in 2:06:34 and Zouhair Talbi sixth in 2:06:43 as the top American, while US record-holder Conner Mantz was 11th in 2:07:27.

From 800m runner to marathon winner

Almgren, 31, was once an 800m specialist. He has a best of 1:45 over two laps, won world under-20 bronze at the distance in 2014 and has been advised by Urban Aruhn since 2012. A steady move up in distance has brought a European 5000m record of 12:44.27 in Stockholm last year and 10,000m bronze at the Tokyo World Championships.

This year has been the best of his career. In August he demolished the field to win European 10,000m gold in Birmingham in a championship record of 27:23.44, then took the world half-marathon title in Copenhagen in September with a European record of 58:06, becoming the first non-African winner since Stefano Baldini in 1996. He chose New York for his debut because, with LA 2028 in mind, it offered a championship-style course.

Almgren raced in Nike's new Apex shoes and is fuelled by Maurten. He is also one of the most prominent users of Nomio, the Swedish broccoli sprout shot that AW looked at in a feature earlier this week. The company's founders were keen to stress that almost all the credit for his success belongs to his training rather than the shot.

Women's race goes to the wire

The women's race was far tighter. Kenya's Sheila Chepkirui reclaimed the title she won in 2024, pulling clear of compatriot and two-time champion Hellen Obiri in the final 150m to win in 2:24:36.

The real surprise was behind them. American Jess McClain, who said she did not feel good through 18 miles, came through late to snatch second in 2:24:42, passing Obiri in the last few strides. Obiri was third in 2:24:43.

McClain's second place made her the first US woman in the top three in New York since 2018. Edna Kiplagat was fourth in 2:25:42 and Mercy Chelangat fifth in 2:25:46, with Weini Kelati seventh on her marathon debut in 2:26:51.

Britons in New York

Patrick Dever, who was upgraded to third last year after his fourth place on debut, was the leading Briton in the men's race. He had to settle for 17th in 2:09:53, short of the 2:06:18 PB he set in London in April, although New York is not a fast course.

In the women's race, Phily Bowden was 17th in 2:30:45, while Uruguay's Julia Paternain, who won English Schools gold while growing up in the UK as a teenager, was 12th in 2:29:09.

Debrunner and Hug win wheelchair races

Marcel Hug beat Daniel Romanchuk in a tight finish in 1:28:14 with David Weir third and Johnboy Smith ninth, with Ireland’s Patrick Monahan tenth in the same time.

Catherine Debrunner won by more than eight minutes in 1:40:02. Tatyana McFadden edged Susannah Scaroni by four seconds for second, while Britain’s Eden Rainbow-Cooper was fifth.