On Sunday in New York's Central Park, Sheila Chepkirui raised her arms once again, reclaiming the marathon winner's crown after two years. Beside her, six seconds back, American Jess McClain overtook Hellen Obiri on the finishing straight — and it was the first podium for the United States among women since 2018. And in the men's race, Sweden's Andreas Almgren, in his first marathon over the 42,195 km distance, ran 2:06:01 and became the first European at the top since 1996.
Chepkirui, a 35-year-old Kenyan, had already won here in 2024. This year she ran alone for the final miles, but she knew: Obiri, last year's course record holder, was breathing down her neck. "The last mile was tough, I had to be patient," the winner said after the finish. Obiri finished third, just a second behind McClain. Seven seconds separated the entire podium — a rare density for an elite marathon.
Almgren, a 31-year-old Swede, had previously dominated the half marathons and the 10 000 m. His debut over the full distance was a sensation: he broke away from Italy's Yemaneberhan Crippa in the final mile and won with a margin of 13 seconds. "I just thought: I've got the legs today," he admitted. For Sweden this is the first victory in New York in history, and for Europe a rare breakthrough in a race dominated for decades by Kenyans and Ethiopians.
Behind the dry numbers lies a deeper story. A marathon is not only about speed but also about psychology: the ability to pace yourself when your body screams "stop." Chepkirui showed how experience helps in the decisive moment, while Almgren proved that a fresh perspective and the absence of the "baggage" of past failures is sometimes more important. The business of sport also plays a role here: prize money, sponsors and World Marathon Majors status make athletes take risks precisely in New York.
Imagine: two runners at the start. One is a multiple champion with aching knees and the memory of past defeats. The other is a newcomer for whom every kilometer is a discovery. At the end of the distance, the winner is not the one who ran the first 30 km faster, but the one who handled the inner dialogue better in the final 400 meters. That is exactly what happened on Sunday.
Chepkirui's victory and Almgren's triumph show: in a major marathon there are no guaranteed favorites. Experience and audacity can coexist on the same course, and the result depends on who reads their own body and their rivals better at the most tense moment. This is a lesson not only for runners but for anyone who faces a long distance in life.
