2026 NYC Marathon: Sheila Chepkirui wins women's portion of event, with American Jessica McClain finishing second

Early on, it became apparent that the women's portion of the NYC Marathon would come down to some heavy hitters. That, ultimately, proved to be the case. As the race went on longer, Sheila Chepkirui got stronger, pulling away from last year's winner Hellen Obiri and winning the event for the second time in her career. Things really started to materialize at the halfway point, as it became an eight-person race. A small group — which contained three former winners — broke away from the rest of the pack.