Almgren runs 2:06:01 to win NYC Marathon debut

Running his first marathon, Andreas Almgren crossed the finish line in New York City with a time of 2 hours, 6 minutes and 1 second. The result secured his victory and placed his mark as the third-fastest in the history of the event. He finished 13 seconds ahead of Yemaneberhan Crippa of Italy, who also made his New York debut.

The race unfolded on a Sunday with temperatures in the mid-50s Fahrenheit. Almgren led a group of six runners who finished under 2 hours, 7 minutes. The conditions allowed the field to maintain high speeds from the start in Brooklyn through the final miles in Manhattan.

Almgren's path to the podium began with a viewing trip to the race in 2025. He watched the event from three specific locations: the streets around mile 8 in Brooklyn, the bridge area where runners enter Manhattan, and the final stretch in Central Park. He decided that year that he would compete in the race the following year.

Before his athletic career, Almgren worked as a risk analyst for a financial firm and later as a data scientist for a sports technology software company. A stress fracture ended his hopes for the 2024 Paris Olympics. He subsequently quit his job to become a full-time runner and coached himself.

His 2025 season produced a record-setting performance in Valencia, Spain. He won the half marathon in 58 minutes and 41 seconds, becoming the first runner born outside Africa to break the 59-minute barrier. That performance set the stage for his major distance debut in New York.

During the New York race, Almgren did not feel he had a definitive chance at winning until the final miles in Central Park. He noted that he felt physically well with about six miles remaining. The crowd size contributed to the atmosphere, with approximately 60,000 runners on the course.

"Started talking about plans, my long-term plans, in my mind I thought it was a good plan," Almgren said. "Here we are a year later and I won this race." He became the first Swedish runner to claim the title of the New York City Marathon.

Next, the organizing committee will release final results and official rankings for all 60,000 participants. The race calendar for the 2027 event has not yet been announced.