NEW YORK — The streets of New York City belonged to nearly 60,000 runners on Sunday, November 1, as the 2026 TCS New York City Marathon celebrated 50 years of its iconic five-borough course. From the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge to the finish in Central Park, runners and spectators brought energy to neighborhoods across the city.
Sweden’s Andreas Almgren won the men’s open division in 2:06:01, making a remarkable marathon debut. Kenya’s Sheila Chepkirui captured the women’s open title in 2:24:36, earning her second New York City Marathon victory.
2026 NYC Marathon Winners
- Men’s open: Andreas Almgren (Sweden) — 2:06:01
- Women’s open: Sheila Chepkirui (Kenya) — 2:24:36
- Men’s wheelchair: Marcel Hug (Switzerland) — 1:28:14
- Women’s wheelchair: Catherine Debrunner (Switzerland) — 1:40:02
Almgren pulled away from Italy’s Yemaneberhan Crippa late in the race to become the first Swedish athlete to win a division at the New York City Marathon. Chepkirui outkicked fellow Kenyan Hellen Obiri in the closing stretch, while American Jessica McClain secured second place in a dramatic finish.
A Race Through All Five Boroughs
The 26.2-mile course began at Fort Wadsworth on Staten Island, with runners crossing the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge into Brooklyn. The route then moved through Bay Ridge, Sunset Park, Park Slope, Downtown Brooklyn, Fort Greene, Clinton Hill, Williamsburg and Greenpoint, giving Brooklyn one of the longest stretches of race-day excitement.
Runners crossed the Pulaski Bridge into Queens and passed through Long Island City before taking the Queensboro Bridge into Manhattan. From there, the course headed north along First Avenue through the Upper East Side and East Harlem, before crossing the Willis Avenue Bridge into the Bronx.
The Bronx section included Mott Haven, with a revised route for 2026. After crossing back into Manhattan over the Madison Avenue Bridge, runners continued through Harlem and down Fifth Avenue before entering Central Park for the final miles and the finish.
More Than a Race
The New York City Marathon is more than a competition. It is a celebration of endurance, community and the city’s remarkable diversity. Thousands of volunteers and spectators helped make race day memorable, cheering on elite athletes, first-time marathoners, charity runners and participants from around the world.
This year’s race also marked the 50th anniversary of the five-borough course, first run in 1976. Fifty years later, the marathon remains one of New York’s signature annual events — a day when the city’s neighborhoods come together to welcome the world.
Official results and race information: World Athletics — 2026 TCS New York City Marathon results · New York Road Runners — Course information.
Photo note: Both photographs are clearly identified archive images from earlier NYC Marathons; they are not represented as photographs of the 2026 race.
