List of winners of the New York City Marathon

A crowd of runners crossing a bridge
The New York City Marathon is the largest marathon in the world.

The New York City Marathon, one of the six World Marathon Majors, is a 26.2-mile (42.2 km) race that has been held in New York City since 1970. It is the largest marathon in the world; since 2010, every race except one has had over 45,000 finishers,[1] peaking at over 53,000 in 2019.[2] From 1970 through 1975, the race was held entirely in Central Park, but since 1976, the course has started in Staten Island and goes through each of the city's five boroughs.[3] The race was canceled in 2012 due to Hurricane Sandy, which hit New York less than a week before the race had been scheduled to take place.[4] The open division of the race transitioned to a virtual event in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the city,[5] while the wheelchair division was cancelled.

Including the 2020 event, 40 men and 34 women have won the open division of the New York City Marathon, while nine men and ten women have won the wheelchair division. The winners have represented 23 countries. Americans have won the marathon the most, doing so on 35 occasions; Kenyans have won 32 times; and Swiss 16 times.[6][7][8][9]

Gary Muhrcke won the first race with a time of 2:31:38.[10] There were 127 entrants, of whom 55 finished[11] – the only female starter, Nina Kuscsik, withdrew partway due to illness. The following year, Beth Bonner became the first female finisher, winning the race in 2:55:22,[10] a time that is officially credited as the first sub-3-hour marathon by a woman.[12] Grete Waitz, a Norwegian female runner, achieved three official world records at the race between 1978 and 1980.[13] Allison Roe and Alberto Salazar set world record times in the women's and men's races in 1981, but a later investigation found that the course was short. Their times do not stand as official world records,[14] though the New York City Marathon maintains them as course records.[15] Waitz dominated the women's marathon between 1978 and 1988, winning nine of the eleven races during that period: her nine wins are the most of any runner at the New York City Marathon.[16] In the men's race, Bill Rodgers has won the most times, doing so in four consecutive years, from 1976 to 1979.[16] The current open division course records are held by Tamirat Tola, who set a time of 2:04:58 in the 2023 men's race,[9] and Margaret Okayo, who set the women's record at 2:22:31 in 2003.[15]

A wheelchair race has been held since 2000, when 72 people finished:[17] Kamel Ayari won the men's race, and Anh Nguyen Thi Xuan won the women's.[18] Among wheelchair racers, Marcel Hug of Switzerland has the most victories, with six.[9][16] Three competitors have five victories each: Kurt Fearnley of Australia, Edith Hunkeler of Switzerland, and Tatyana McFadden of the United States.[16] Hug holds the men's course record with a time of 1:25:26 set in 2022,[15] while Catherine Debrunner of Switzerland holds the women's record with 1:39:32 set in 2023.[9]

  1. ^ 2023 Media Guide, p. 84.
  2. ^ "By the Numbers: 2019 TCS New York City Marathon Becomes World's Largest Marathon". Running USA. November 5, 2019. Archived from the original on March 2, 2021. Retrieved June 7, 2024.
  3. ^ Juva, Theresa; Monico, Nicolle (October 29, 2018). "The Making of Today's Iconic 5-Borough NYC Marathon". Podium Runner. Retrieved April 28, 2020.
  4. ^ "Hurricane Sandy: New York Marathon cancelled as city recovers". The Independent. November 3, 2012. Retrieved April 28, 2020.
  5. ^ Schad, Tom (October 29, 2020). "'I felt the emotion of an event': Virtual New York City Marathon has been far from normal". USA Today. Retrieved June 7, 2024.
  6. ^ 2023 Media Guide, pp. 86–88.
  7. ^ "2020 Virtual TCS New York City Marathon: Finishers". New York Road Runners. Retrieved June 7, 2024.
  8. ^ "2020 Virtual TCS New York City Marathon: Finishers". New York Road Runners. Retrieved June 7, 2024.
  9. ^ a b c d "TCS New York City Marathon Becomes World's Largest Marathon in 2023" (Press release). New York: New York Road Runners. November 6, 2023. Retrieved June 7, 2024.
  10. ^ a b 2023 Media Guide, p. 86.
  11. ^ 2023 Media Guide, p. 83.
  12. ^ Menzies-Pike, Catriona (2016). The Long Run: A Memoir of Loss and Life in Motion. New York: Crown Publishers. p. 195. ISBN 978-1-5247-5944-5.
  13. ^ Robinson, Roger (October 30, 2018). "40 Years Ago, Grete Waitz Changed Women's Running in NYC". Runner's World. Retrieved April 28, 2020.
  14. ^ Robb, Sharon (June 28, 1985). "Records fun while they last". Sun-Sentinel. Deerfield Beach, Florida. Retrieved April 28, 2020.
  15. ^ a b c 2023 Media Guide, p. 93.
  16. ^ a b c d 2023 Media Guide, p. 89.
  17. ^ "TCS New York City Marathon 2000: Finishers (Wheelchair)". New York Road Runners. Retrieved May 3, 2020.
  18. ^ 2023 Media Guide, p. 87.