Yeman Crippa finished second in the New York City Marathon, closing 13 seconds behind Sweden’s Andreas Almgren. The Italian, who won the Paris Marathon in the spring, stayed with the leaders throughout the race before Almgren pulled ahead in the final 400 metres to win in 2:06:01 on his marathon debut.
Crippa’s result was the best by an Italian man in New York since Giacomo Leone won the race in 1996. Lesotho’s 21-year-old Kamohelo Mofolo took third, edging out Kenya’s Benson Kipruto, last year’s winner. It was the first time since 1988 that Europeans finished first and second in the men’s race.
After the 35-kilometre mark, Kipruto pushed the pace with American Zouhair Talbi, Crippa and Almgren. Kipruto and Talbi later dropped back, leaving the two Europeans to contest the win. Almgren made the decisive move in the closing stretch.
Almgren also won the 10,000 metres at the European Championships and the world half-marathon title in 2026. The 31-year-old is targeting the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, where he hopes to compete in both the 10,000 metres and the marathon.
The race drew 60,000 participants, with 240,000 applicants, and followed its traditional route through all five New York City boroughs before finishing in Central Park. More than 2,000 of the runners were Italian.
In the women’s race, Italy’s Giovanna Epis placed 11th in a season-best 2:28:55. Kenya’s Sheila Chepkirui Kiprotich won in 2:24:36 after a prolonged contest with compatriot Hellen Obiri. Obiri, last year’s winner, was passed near the finish by American Jessica McClain, who took second.
Crippa celebrated his result on social media, writing that a dream had become reality and that the experience was an emotion he would carry with him for a long time. High jumper Gianmarco Tamberi was among those who congratulated him.
Sources: ANSA Sport.