Yeman Crippa Second at New York City Marathon
Andreas Almgren won the New York City Marathon with a time of 2 hours, 6 minutes and 1 second, leading a historic podium featuring five different athletic footwear brands. Italian runner Yeman Crippa finished second, just 13 seconds behind the Swedish winner, securing the best-ever finish for an Italian athlete on the demanding New York course and claiming the first Italian podium finish in the event since Eyob Faniel in 2021.
The 55th running of the New York City Marathon featured an aggressive second half following a 1:04 half-marathon split, with leaders pushing a 62-minute pace over the final 21 kilometers. Almgren, a 31-year-old Swedish engineer making his debut at the distance, broke away from the lead pack alongside Crippa after the 40-kilometer mark. Kenyan runner Benson Kipruto fell back during the closing stages, allowing 20-year-old Kamohelo Mofolo of Lesotho to claim third place with a sprint finish.
The Footwear Battle on the New York Podium
The race showcased a rare multi-brand manufacturer presence on the podium, breaking the single-brand dominance seen earlier in the year at the Chicago and Berlin marathons.
Andreas Almgren secured his victory wearing Nike’s newly introduced Apex, a zero-drop super shoe presented to the market just one month prior to the race. Yeman Crippa claimed second place wearing On’s Cloudboom Strike 2 Ls, a laceless model he previously used to win the Paris Marathon in April. Kamohelo Mofolo rounded out the men’s podium in third place wearing the XTEP 160X 8.0 PRO from Chinese manufacturer XTEP.
In the women’s division, Sheila Chepkirui captured the title for Adidas wearing the Adios Pro Evo 3. American runner Jessica McClain placed second in Brooks’ Hyperion Elite 6, marking the first time an American athlete reached the women’s podium in the event in eight years. Hellen Obiri finished third, opting for the same On Cloudboom Strike 2 Ls model worn by Crippa.
Almgren Beats Crippa in New York
Almgren arrived in New York following a stellar track and road season that included a 10,000-meter gold medal at the European Championships in Birmingham and a victory at the World Half Marathon Championships in Copenhagen with a time of 58 minutes and 6 seconds.
Crippa animated the race from the opening kilometer, engaging in a persistent tactical duel across the five boroughs before Almgren pulled away in the final 900 meters. The Italian’s runner-up performance marks a strong recovery following two years of variable competitive results and confirms his standing among elite international marathoners following his victory in Paris earlier in the year.
Remaining Questions Regarding Future Major Marathons
With Almgren completing one of the most important marathon debuts in history and Crippa establishing the best time in history for an Italian on the New York course, questions remain over whether the Swedish runner will defend his title or transition back to shorter track distances in upcoming international competitions.