The New York City Marathon, one of the world’s most challenging and largest marathons, once again brought together elite runners and passionate amateurs from across the world to take on the 26.2-mile course through New York’s five boroughs.
Known for its challenging hills and bridges, countless corners, and passionate crowds, the 2024 race promised thrilling performances and impressive finishes. It certainly delivered, with standout moments from both the men’s and women’s fields.
The women’s race kicked off first at 8:35 local time with all eyes on defending champion Hellen Obiri.
Hellen Obiri, a three-time Olympic medalist and seven-time world medalist, made history last year by becoming the first woman in 34 years to win both the Boston and New York Marathons in the same year. This year, she successfully defended her Boston Marathon title and earned a bronze medal in the Olympic marathon.
The women’s race also saw the return of 2022 NYC Marathon champion Sharon Lokedi, who also finished third in New York last year and fourth in the 2024 Paris Olympic marathon. The Kenyan contingent also featured 2010 champion Edna Kiplagat, four-time Olympic medalist Vivian Cheruiyot, and Sheila Chepkirui, who holds the fastest personal best in the field.
Leading the American women was Dakotah Lindwurm, the top American finisher in the marathon at the Paris Olympics.
The women’s race, as expected, stuck together from the get-go, with a big group of up to 25 runners making it through 30K as one. It wasn’t until the 35K mark where sparks began to fly when Cheruiyot had decided enough was enough and made a decisive move that only four other runners could match.
Not long after, it became a race of three runners, including Cheruiyot, Chepkirui, and defending champion Obiri. Cheruiyot dropping in the final 2K meant Chepkirui was the only one who could potentially knock Obiri from her throne.
In the end, Chepkirui powered to victory in the final few hundred meters, clocking a winning time of 2:24:35.
“Hellen is a legend,” Chepkirui said in the press conference after the race, noting Obiri’s long and decorated career, including wins in Boston and New York. “So I just ran as hard as I could in the final mile, because I know she is so strong in the end of the marathon.”
Taking second was Obiri, with a time of 2:24:49, while Cheruiyot rounded out the podium, with a time of 2:25:21.
Sara Vaughn, the top American woman, was supposed to run Chicago, but caught COVID-19 on the eve of that race in October. “I called my agent and said we needed to come up with a plan B, and it worked out well.” Vaughn also noted she was late coming into New York due to her daughter’s local cross-country meet taking place the day before New York.
The men’s race took off at 9:05 local time and also featured defending champion Tamirat Tola.
Tamirat Tola, who set a course record last year in New York with a time of 2:04:58, came into the race fresh off an Olympic gold medal win in Paris, where he set a new Olympic record of 2:06:26.
Joining Tola in the men’s race was Belgium’s Bashir Abdi, a two-time Olympic medalist who recently secured a silver medal in the Paris Olympics marathon behind Tola. Abdi also boasts a bronze from the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and the 2022 World Championships.
The men’s field also featured three former champions from Kenya: 2022 winner Evans Chebet, 2021 victor Albert Korir, and Geoffrey Kamworor, who took the title in 2017 and 2019.
Chebet, a two-time Boston Marathon champion, has finished on the podium in 13 marathons, while Kamworor has consistently placed in the top three in all his New York Marathon appearances. Additionally, Abel Kipchumba, this year’s NYC Half Marathon winner, will make his New York City Marathon debut.
Fan favorites Conner Mantz and Clayton Young, who finished eighth and ninth, respectively, in the Olympic marathon in Paris, carried the American men’s hopes.
The men’s race was run in a similar fashion to the women’s race, with a large pack staying together for the majority of the miles.
Eventually, a small group of favorites, including Tola, Chebet, and Abdi Nageeye, to name a few, dropped the hammer and set fire to the race.
The final 10K was a race of three (again, quite similar to the women), with Tola, Chebet, and Nageeye leading the race. To the surprise of many, Tola was dropped from the trio with just 3K left, and it became a race of two.
Crossing the line first was Abdi Nageeye, with a time of 2:07:39.
BREAK❗️
— TopatletiekLive (@TopatletiekLive) November 3, 2024
Abdi Nageeye wint de New York City Marathon ❣️❣️❣️ pic.twitter.com/YkAgKXw88N
Taking second was Evans Chebet, with a time of 2:07:45, and rounding out the podium was Albert Korir, with a time of 2:08:00.
Nageeye said after winning that he knew he wasn’t considered a favorite to win, even though he’d raced in New York four times, including today. “I came off the Queensboro Bridge, and I just thought to myself, ‘I feel so good.'” said the Dutchman, who was born in Somalia, before leaving as a refugee as a child. “And when I got to 36K, I knew this was my race. Coming into [New York] not many people knew who I was. I knew after today they would.”
Conner Mantz, the top American finisher, in sixth, was one of several athletes in Paris just 11 weeks ago. He said after the race that he’s feeling like he’s in phenomenal pace. “I was looking forward to getting back into the training. I enjoy training, perhaps more than most people.”
Mantz said he was initially frustrated by how slow the pace was. “My plan was “deloy,” which was to sit in the pack and relax,” he said after the race in the press conference. “Then “destroy,” which didn’t really work out as well as I’d hoped, as Evans [Chebet] stepped up the pace at one point.”
2024 New York City Marathon Women’s Top 20 Finishers
| Place | Name | Country | Finish Time | Average Pace/Mile |
| 1 | Sheila Chepkirui | KEN | 2:24:35 | 5:31 |
| 2 | Hellen Obiri | KEN | 2:24:49 | 5:32 |
| 3 | Vivian Cheruiyot | KEN | 2:25:21 | 5:33 |
| 4 | Eunice Chumba | BRN | 2:25:58 | 5:35 |
| 5 | Fabienne Schlumpf | SUI | 2:26:31 | 5:36 |
| 6 | Sara Vaughn | USA | 2:26:56 | 5:37 |
| 7 | Senbere Teferi | ETH | 2:27:14 | 5:37 |
| 8 | Jessica McClain | USA | 2:27:19 | 5:38 |
| 9 | Sharon Lokedi | KEN | 2:27:45 | 5:39 |
| 10 | Kellyn Taylor | USA | 2:27:59 | 5:39 |
| 11 | Des Linden | USA | 2:29:32 | 5:43 |
| 12 | Edna Kiplagat | KEN | 2:29:56 | 5:44 |
| 13 | Tristin Colley | USA | 2:30:02 | 5:44 |
| 14 | Maggie Montoya | USA | 2:30:53 | 5:46 |
| 15 | Lily Partridge | GBR | 2:30:55 | 5:46 |
| 16 | Savannah Berry | USA | 2:31:39 | 5:48 |
| 17 | Dakotah Popehn | USA | 2:31:45 | 5:48 |
| 18 | Jenny Simpson | USA | 2:31:54 | 5:48 |
| 19 | Aliphine Tuliamuk | USA | 2:32:10 | 5:49 |
| 20 | Jessa Hanson | USA | 2:32:43 | 5:50 |
2024 New York City Marathon Men’s Top 20 Finishers
| Place | Name | Country | Finish Time | Average Pace/Mile |
| 1 | Abdi Nageeye | NED | 2:07:39 | 4:53 |
| 2 | Evans Chebet | KEN | 2:07:45 | 4:53 |
| 3 | Albert Korir | KEN | 2:08:00 | 4:53 |
| 4 | Tamirat Tola | ETH | 2:08:12 | 4:54 |
| 5 | Geoffrey Kamworor | KEN | 2:08:50 | 4:55 |
| 6 | Conner Mantz | USA | 2:09:00 | 4:56 |
| 7 | Clayton Young | USA | 2:09:21 | 4:56 |
| 8 | Abel Kipchumba | KEN | 2:10:39 | 4:59 |
| 9 | Bashir Abdi | BEL | 2:10:39 | 4:59 |
| 10 | Cj Albertson | USA | 2:10:57 | 5:00 |
| 11 | Ryan Ford | USA | 2:11:08 | 5:01 |
| 12 | Colin Bennie | USA | 2:11:16 | 5:01 |
| 13 | Frank Lara | USA | 2:11:21 | 5:01 |
| 14 | Jonny Mellor | GBR | 2:11:22 | 5:01 |
| 15 | Rory Linkletter | CAN | 2:11:45 | 5:02 |
| 16 | Wesley Kiptoo | KEN | 2:11:58 | 5:02 |
| 17 | Futsum Zienasellassie | USA | 2:12:32 | 5:04 |
| 18 | Joel Reichow | USA | 2:12:52 | 5:05 |
| 19 | Elkanah Kibet | USA | 2:13:27 | 5:06 |
| 20 | Ryan Eiler | USA | 2:13:36 | 5:06 |
