San Francisco Frontiers - Almgren wins debut marathon in New York, Chepkirui wins women's race

The 31-year-old Almgren, in the spotlight after setting a European half-marathon record in Copenhagen in September, powered through the final mile to capture the victory over Italian Yemaneberhan Crippa.

Kenyan Sheila Chepkirui won the women's race for a second time, repelling the challenge of last year's winner Hellen Obiri -- who faded to finish third behind American Jessica McClain.

Almgren, who won his first international athletics title in August with 10,000m gold at the European Championships, ran comfortably in a large lead group that also included defending champion Benson Kipruto.

He broke away in the final mile, pulling away from Crippa who finished second in 2:06:14.

Lesotho's Kamohelo Mofolo was third in 2:06:26, narrowly holding off Kenya's Kipruto -- who had been trying to become the first back-to-back New York men's winner since compatriot Geoffrey Mutai in 2013.

"I mean, you can't ask for a better debut," Almgren, draped in a Swedish flag in the sunshine of Central Park, told ESPN.

"I don't know what to say. I just feel like I'm about to start crying," he added after becoming the first Swede to win a major marathon.

"When Benson started picking up the pace with (five kilometers) left, I just felt like I've got the legs today."

For Chepkirui, who won in 2:24:36, it wasn't the first time she had dashed Obiri's dreams of successive wins.

In 2024 she edged then-defending champion Obiri on the streets of the Big Apple.

It looked like it would again come down to the two of them as they powered together through the final mile, Chepkirui doggedly defending her place in front.

- 'Really tricky' -

"The last mile was really tricky," Chepkirui said. "I had to be patient because I knew Hellen was really strong, so I have to really push up to the finish line."

As she did, McClain squeezed past Obiri to take second in 2:24:42, Obiri settling for third in 2:24:43.

"I don't think I have the words yet," McClain said after becoming the first US woman since 2018 to finish on the podium.

"I honestly didn't feel amazing through like 18 (miles), just kind of had to stick in it and adjust. Top five was top of mind, then podium. I was, like, just stick with it, and all of a sudden Hellen was coming back to me and I don't really know what happened."

The race marked the 50th anniversary of the current incarnation of the NYC Marathon, which links the city's five boroughs of Staten Island, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, and Manhattan.

The race was first run in 1970 when the course was confined to Central Park, becoming a city-wide event in 1976.

Switzerland's world record-holder Catherine Debrunner, the 2023 women's wheelchair winner, crushed the field for her second New York victory in 1:40:02.

Her compatriot Marcel Hug, the men's world record-holder, claimed his eighth New York wheelchair title, holding off Daniel Romanchuk in a sprint finish to win in 1:28:14 - 1.13 seconds in front of the American.

P.Thomas--SFF