New York Road Runners has announced the professional field for the 2026 United Airlines NYC Half, and it’s the kind of start list that makes you double check the calendar to confirm it’s “just” a half marathon.
The March 15 race will feature all four defending champions, including Abel Kipchumba and Sharon Lokedi in the men’s and women’s open races. NYRR said the full pro lineup includes 30 Olympians and Paralympians, 19 national record holders, and 11 global medalists.
The NYC Half keeps getting bigger, and faster
The United Airlines NYC Half has become the largest half marathon in the United States. NYRR said the 2025 race drew a record 28,709 finishers.
The course remains one of the most recognizable in road racing: 13.1 miles from Prospect Park in Brooklyn to Central Park, with a stretch through Manhattan that includes Grand Central Terminal and Times Square.
For the second year in a row, the course will also take runners across the Brooklyn Bridge. NYRR said it is the only race in history to do so.
That’s a pretty good deal for recreational runners, and a pretty tempting stage for the pros.
Kipchumba returns chasing a three-peat
Kipchumba has been the man to beat in this race, and he’s back with history on the line.
He won last year’s race in 59:09, setting an event record and earning his second straight NYC Half title. His personal best stands at 58:07 from Valencia in 2021, and he is the 10th fastest half marathoner of all time.
A win in 2026 would make him the first three-time men’s open champion in race history.
“Winning in New York is never easy, and coming back to defend my title again is a challenge I’m excited for,” Kipchumba said in the NYRR press release. “The energy on the streets pushes you from the first mile to the last, and I’m motivated to chase history against a world-class field.”
He’s not exaggerating about the competition.
Daniel Ebenyo, a three-time World Championships medalist and the 2026 World Athletics Cross Country Championships bronze medalist, is set to make his NYRR debut. Canada’s Rory Linkletter is also in the field after breaking his own national record in January and becoming the first Canadian to run under 60 minutes.
Several other international names add depth, including Norway’s Sondre Nordstad Moen, who holds national records in the 10,000m, half marathon, and marathon.
the American men’s field is no joke
The U.S. men’s contingent might be the most interesting part of the race, especially with Grant Fisher officially making his half marathon debut.
Fisher, a two-time Olympic bronze medalist, holds the world record indoors at 3,000m and 5,000m. NYRR said this will be his first half marathon and first professional road race.
Galen Rupp is also back. The two-time Olympic medalist and five-time U.S. champion has plenty of New York history, and NYRR noted he finished third at the NYC Half in 2011.
Then there’s the new wave.
Alex Maier and Ryan Ford ran 59:23 and 59:48, respectively, in January, becoming the second and sixth fastest Americans in history, according to NYRR. Zouhair Talbi returns after finishing second at the 2024 NYC Half, and NYRR said he recently ran the third fastest marathon in American history on a record-eligible course in January.
Joe Klecker will make his NYC Half debut after placing 10th in his marathon debut at the 2025 TCS New York City Marathon.
In other words, Kipchumba may be the favorite, but the American group isn’t showing up to politely chase.
Lokedi returns to a city that keeps working out for her
Sharon Lokedi has quietly built one of the strongest New York resumes in women’s distance running.
She won the 2022 New York City Marathon in her debut, then added another big win last year at the NYC Half. NYRR said she ran 1:07:04 to set an event record in 2025.
This will be her first race since finishing runner-up at the 2025 New York City Marathon.
“New York has been so special to my career, and returning as the defending champion means a lot to me,” Lokedi said. “Running through Times Square and seeing all the young runners is one of the highlights for me and I can’t wait to draw inspiration from them again this year.”
She’ll have her hands full.
Obiri and Ngetich headline a loaded women’s field
Lokedi will face Hellen Obiri, the defending TCS New York City Marathon champion and the 2023 and 2025 winner of that race. NYRR said the two will meet for the eighth time in their careers.
The big wildcard, though, is Agnes Ngetich.
NYRR said Ngetich won the 2026 World Athletics Cross Country Championships in dominant fashion and holds the world 10K record. She is also listed as the second fastest half marathoner in history, with a personal best of 1:03:04.
This will be her first NYRR race.
Ethiopia’s Fantaye Belayneh adds more speed, coming off a 1:04:49 run in Houston in January, which NYRR said is the second fastest half marathon time in the world this year.
Germany’s Konstanze Klosterhalfen is also in the field. NYRR described her as a national record holder across multiple distances, from 1,500m through 10,000m.
Strong American women’s group led by Sisson
Emily Sisson leads the American women’s group. The American marathon record holder and two-time Olympian has a half marathon personal best of 1:06:52.
Other U.S. entrants include Lindsay Flanagan, Annie Frisbie, Dakotah Popehn, Natosha Rogers, Amanda Vestri, and Susanna Sullivan.
NYRR noted that Frisbie finished fifth at the 2025 New York City Marathon, while Sullivan owns the 10th fastest marathon time in American history and placed fourth at the 2025 World Championships marathon.
How to watch the 2026 NYC Half
NYRR said the race will be covered locally by ABC New York, Channel 7, with live cut-ins from 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. ET.
The professional races will also be livestreamed on ESPN+, abc7ny.com, and NYRR’s digital channels beginning at 7:00 a.m. ET.
