New York City Marathon 2026 features Hellen Obiri and Benson Kipruto as favorites

The TCS New York City Marathon celebrates its 50th anniversary of the five boroughs course this Sunday. Defending women's champion Hellen Obiri seeks a third title after her record-breaking performance last year. Her primary competition includes East African runners such as Sheila Chepkirui, Gotytom Gebreslase, and Edna Kiplagat. Notably, Olympic champion Sifan Hassan has withdrawn from the race due to illness, as has Fiona O'Keeffe.

In the men's division, Benson Kipruto aims to defend his title following his narrow victory in 2025. Kipruto, a Paris 2024 Olympic bronze medalist, faces a competitive field as he seeks to build on his previous major marathon wins.