Andreas Almgren of Sweden and Sheila Chepkirui of Kenya won the 2026 New York City Marathon on Sunday 1st November, and Ethiopia's Manazot Siyoum Taferi and Yatane Kormoshe Dusha won the Athens Marathon a week later on Sunday 8 November, both in reported course-record times. British interest in New York was led by Patrick Dever and Phily Bowden, who both finished 17th in their races, while David Weir was reported third in the men's wheelchair race.

Below you will find the results at a glance, the British finishers we could verify, how each race was won, and what a beginner can take into their own first marathon. Elite results come from the official results listed by World Athletics and the organisers' own race reports at the time of writing. Where a detail only appears in news reports, we say so. Edge is not affiliated with either event.

What were the NYC and Athens Marathon 2026 results?

Here are the top three in each elite race. Name spellings for some of the Ethiopian runners in Athens vary between sources, so we have used the most common versions.

Elite results from the official results at the time of writing. Wheelchair placings beyond the winners are taken from news reports, so check the organiser's final results.

How did Andreas Almgren win New York on his debut?

By waiting. Reports from the race describe a lead group of around ten men still together at 35 km, after the usual slow, tactical start that New York's bridges and late hills encourage. Almgren, better known as a track and half marathon runner, only pulled clear of Italy's Yemaneberhan Crippa in the final mile and won by 13 seconds. Kamohelo Mofolo of Lesotho took third, one second ahead of defending champion Benson Kipruto.

His 2:06:01 was reported as the third fastest winning time in the course's history, and he was described as the first man to win New York on his marathon debut since 2010. The depth was unusual too: American Zouhair Talbi was sixth in 2:06:43, reported as the fastest time ever by a US man in this race.

This was also the 50th year of the five-borough course, and organisers made the first change to the route in around 15 years, a small tweak at Mile 20 in the Bronx that reportedly cut the number of turns there from seven to five.

How close was the women's race in New York?

Very. Sheila Chepkirui pulled away from defending champion Hellen Obiri in the last 150 metres to win in 2:24:36, her second New York title after 2024. Behind them, Jessica McClain of the USA passed Obiri in the final strides to take second in 2:24:42, with Obiri one second further back. The top three were covered by seven seconds.

McClain's result was widely reported as the first podium finish by an American woman in New York since 2018. The winning time was well outside Obiri's 2:19:51 course record from last year, which tells you how cagey the early miles were.

In the wheelchair races, Switzerland's Marcel Hug won the men's race for an eighth time, reportedly passing Daniel Romanchuk in the final 100 metres, and Catherine Debrunner, also of Switzerland, won the women's race in 1:40:02 after leading from early on.

How did the British runners do in New York?

Our preview of the British runners to watch in New York picked out Patrick Dever, who was promoted to third in 2025. This year was tougher. Here is what the official results show for the leading British men and women in the professional fields.

Dever's 2:09:53 still put him inside 2:10 on one of the harder big-city courses, in a race where the top ten men all ran faster than 2:07:20. Plenty of British club runners also finished in the mass field. If you were one of them, well done: New York's bridges and the long drag up Fifth Avenue make it a proper test whatever your time.

How were the Athens course records set?

Athens is not a course built for fast times. As our Athens Marathon 2026 guide explains, the route from the town of Marathon climbs on and off from about 10 km to just past 31 km, then runs mostly downhill to the Panathenaic Stadium. That makes the 2026 times all the more striking.

Manazot Siyoum Taferi won the men's race in 2:10:03, 31 seconds under the previous course record of 2:10:34 set by Kenya's Edwin Kiptoo in 2023. The organiser's own report credits a favourable tailwind. Reports put Taferi through halfway in 1:06:50, which means he ran the second half in about 1:03:13, more than three and a half minutes faster than the first. Asefa Tefera Mengisha, second in 2:10:18, also finished inside the old record.

In the women's race, Yatane Kormoshe Dusha and Tsiyon Abebe Temesgen broke clear soon after halfway before Dusha pulled away late to win in 2:30:04. Race reports describe that as a new event record, beating the 2:31:06 that had stood since 2010. Greece's Stamatia Noula was sixth in 2:35:13, reported as the fastest time by a Greek woman on the course. The organiser says more than 20,000 runners finished across the weekend's races.

What can a beginner learn from these results?

Elite racing can feel a world away from a first marathon, but the way these four races were won holds lessons for anyone.

• Be patient for longer than feels natural. Almgren sat in a pack until 35 km and Chepkirui made her move with 150 metres left. For you, that means the first half should feel almost too easy. If you reach halfway thinking you could go faster, you have probably got it right.
• Run the course, not the clock. Taferi's huge negative split in Athens came from respecting the long climb and then using the downhill finish. On a hilly course, hold your effort steady on the climbs and let your pace drop, rather than chasing a fixed split every kilometre.
• Conditions matter. A tailwind helped in Athens. On your own race day, adjust your target for heat, wind or rain rather than forcing a plan made weeks earlier.
• Debuts can go well. Almgren won on his first marathon after years of shorter racing. A solid base of easy running, some strength work and sensible long runs is what makes a good first marathon, not a huge mileage jump in the final weeks.
• Bad days happen to everyone. Several big names finished well down the field. One race does not define your fitness, and the best runners treat a tough day as information for the next block.

I ran New York or Athens. What should I do this week?

Rest first, plan later. In the first week after a marathon, gentle walking, proper meals, plenty of sleep and perhaps some light mobility are enough. Most runners feel ready for a few easy jogs in the second week, with no hard sessions until at least week three. Our 30-day marathon recovery plan walks through it day by day.

Travel adds to the fatigue. A long-haul flight home from New York, or a very early start in Athens, can leave you more tired than the run itself suggests. Keep moving gently, drink regularly on the journey, and do not judge your fitness by how a run feels in the first fortnight.

When you do feel like planning again, both organisers publish dates and entry details for the next edition on their own websites. New York places go mainly through a ballot, qualifying times, charity places and tour operators, while Athens has historically opened general entry well ahead of race day. Check each organiser directly before you book flights.

Inspired to run your own marathon in 2027?

Watching races like these is a great nudge. If you want to target a spring 2027 marathon, the next few weeks are about building a base rather than starting a full plan. Easy running three or four times a week, one longer run that grows slowly, and two short strength sessions will set you up well. Strength work in particular helps your legs cope with the later miles, which is exactly where both of these races were decided.

Edge builds running, strength, HIIT and mobility into one plan, so you are not juggling separate apps for each. It syncs with Strava, Garmin, Apple Health and Coros, and with Edge Rewards every logged workout also earns points you can spend in the app.

This article is general guidance, not medical advice. If you are new to exercise, returning from injury, or managing a health condition, speak to your GP before starting, and see a physio for any niggle that does not settle.