New York Energy

The Big Apple turned on perfect weather for the marathon on Sunday, with clear skies and cool temperatures. A record number of runners were there to make the most of the conditions: 55,646 finishers made this the biggest marathon in history, anywhere in the world. The event eclipsed the Berlin Marathon’s previous record of 54,820 finishers set in September.

Among the elites, the men’s race served up a tight finish: only 21 seconds separated winner Abdi Nageeye’s time of 2:07:39 from bronze medallist Albert Korir’s 2:08:00. Nageeye’s win denied defending champion and course record holder Tamirat Tola from becoming the first man to score a repeat win since 2013. Tola was held to fourth place but his 2023 course record of 2:04:58 remains intact.

There was also a changing of the guard in the women’s race, with Sheila Chepkirui throwing everything at it in the last half mile to hold off defending champion Hellen Obiri. Chepkirui took gold in 2:24:35, 14 seconds ahead of Obiri. Vivian Cheruiyot was not far behind to take bronze in 2:25:21.

Chepkirui came into the race with the fastest PB, 2:17:29 from the 2022 Valencia Marathon. This is her first win at a World Marathon Major.

For everyone else, it was a spectacular day that served up the full range of joy and elation, trials and injuries, personal bests and total collapses. It was major; it was the 2024 New York City Marathon.