NYC Marathon to Feature Defending Champions Obiri and Kipruto — image accompanying Canadian Running's report. Image accompanying Canadian Running’s report; reduced and presented for news commentary with the attributed report. View the complete source report.
Nearly 60,000 runners will participate in the 2026 New York City Marathon on Nov. 1. The event will mark the 50th running of the five-borough course.
Defending champions Hellen Obiri and Benson Kipruto will return. Obiri, a two-time champion, set a course record in 2025. Kipruto won in 2025 and took bronze at Paris 2024. Read more racing coverage.
Other notable athletes include three-time Olympic champion Sifan Hassan, 2024 champion Sheila Chepkirui, and U.S. half-marathon record holder Weini Kelati, who will make her marathon debut. Related: Birmingham 2026: A Statistical Review of European Champs.
This original Runner World brief is based on reporting from Canadian Running. Visit the source for its complete reporting, context and any later corrections.
Reader questions
Questions about this report
What should runners know about NYC Marathon to Feature Defending Champions Obiri and Kipruto?
Hellen Obiri and Benson Kipruto return to defend their titles at the 2026 NYC Marathon. Nearly 60,000 runners will participate in the 2026 New York City Marathon on Nov. 1. The event will mark the 50th running of the five-borough course.
When did Runner World publish this racing brief?
Runner World published this brief on August 19, 2026. The underlying Canadian Running report was dated August 19, 2026.
Where can readers find the complete original report?
This summary is based on reporting from Canadian Running. The attributed source link in the article leads to the publisher’s complete report.
THE WEEKLY BRIEFING
Start the week a step ahead.
A concise edit of the running stories worth knowing, sent every Monday.
