Swedish Runner Andreas Almgren Claims First Marathon Victory in New York

The New York City Marathon concluded on Sunday with a decisive victory for Andreas Almgren, who claimed his first title at the 26.2-mile distance. The Swedish runner crossed the finish line in 2 hours, 6 minutes, and 1 second, a time that ranks as the third fastest in the race's recorded history.

Almgren beat Yemaneberhan Crippa of Italy by 13 seconds. Crippa also made his debut in the New York City Marathon. The winner led a group of six runners who finished with times under 2 hours and 7 minutes. The weather in New York was favorable for running, with temperatures in the mid 50s Fahrenheit during the event.

Almgren described his path to the starting line as impulsive. He watched the race in person a year ago and decided that night he would attempt the distance the following year. He visited three specific locations during his viewing tour last year: the Brooklyn section near mile 8, the bridge entrance to Manhattan, and Central Park. On Sunday, he ran through those same areas while 60,000 spectators cheered.

The runner stated that he did not know if he could win until the final miles in Central Park. He noted that he felt physically well with about 6 miles remaining on the course. Almgren said, 'It's was kind of like where I knew I had a shot at winning this.' He became the first Swedish runner to win the New York City Marathon.

Before turning to running full-time, Almgren worked as a risk analyst at a financial firm and later as a data scientist for a sports technology software company. A stress fracture ended his 2024 Olympic campaign in Paris. He subsequently left his job to focus exclusively on running and acting as his own coach. In 2025, he set a record at the Valencia Half Marathon with a time of 58 minutes and 41 seconds, becoming the first non-African-born runner to break the 59-minute barrier.

Almgren reflected on his decision to enter the race after watching it the previous year. He said, 'Started talking about plans, my long-term plans, in my mind I thought it was a good plan. Here we are a year later and I won this race.'

The race marked a milestone for Almgren, who had previously specialized in half-marathons. His victory in New York established a new benchmark for his career at the longest competitive distance. The event drew a large crowd that accompanied the runners through the final stretch of the course in the city's central park.