NEW YORK, NEW YORK – NOVEMBER 02: Hellen Obiri of Kenya reacts while crossing the finish line after winning the Professional Women’s Open Division during the 2025 TCS New York City Marathon on November 02, 2025 in New York City. (Photo by Ishika Samant/Getty Images)
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One of the world’s most esteemed world marathon majors saw a longstanding record go down on Sunday as the 35-year-old Kenyan Hellen Obiri moved away from the women’s field late to shatter a 23-year-old TCS New York City Marathon mark with a time of 2 hours, 19 minutes and 51 seconds.
In one fell swoop, Obiri, the 2023 New York City Marathon winner, downed the 2002 time of 2:22:31 that was last held by Kenyan Margaret Okayo.
She did so by almost three minutes. And maybe more remarkably, she wasn’t alone.
Two other women, including fellow countrywoman Sharon Lokedi (2:20:07) and Sheila Chepkiriu (2:20:24), also dipped under the former mark, giving Kenya the entire women’s podium. While Obiri, the 2025 Boston Marathon runner-up in 2:17.41, was more than capable of chasing after a record which had stood for more than two decades, few had ever navigated the Abbott Marathon Major with such ease.
How Hellen Obiri Mastered The TCS New York City Marathon
Perhaps it took a battle with her countrywoman Lokedi to ensure it would take place. The duo went toe-to-toe over the last miles before Obiri surged ahead.
Obiri’s time officially surprised her former marathon best of 2:23:10, which she claimed at the Paris Olympics in 2024 to place third overall (her Boston time was on a net downhill course, which negates the time).
ORLANDO, FLORIDA – FEBRUARY 03: Fiona O’Keeffe celebrates after placing first during the 2024 U.S. Olympic Team Trials – Marathon on February 03, 2024 in Orlando, Florida. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
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The only American within the fold by the halfway mark was Fiona O’Keeffe, who matched the incredible pace at various stints in the back-half, finally falling off just after 17 miles when Obiri and Lokedi began to take command.
The 27-year-old O’Keeffe secured fourth overall in 2:22:49 as she logged the best performance of her career since her Olympic-qualifying performance in February 2024 when she ran 2:22:10 in Orlando. O’Keeffe never was able to run in Paris, though. A hip injury prevented her from even getting on the line.
In the months before New York City, though, she looked ready, clocking a 1:08:35 half marathon in Copenhagen in September.
Annie Frisbie, another 28-year-old American wearing the Puma supershoes Fast-R Nitro Elite (like O’Keeffe), she was fifth overall in 2:24:12. The performance was just a shade off her time of 2:23:21 from Boston in April.
Olympic marathon champ Sifan Hassan managed to claim a sixth-place finish in 2:24:43 despite not quite ever being in the leading picture. Americans Emily Sisson (2:25:05) and Amanda Vestri (2:25:40) were eighth and ninth, respectively.
The Men’s Results At The New York City Marathon
The men’s race came down to a sprint to the line.
Kenyan Benson Kipruto, who ran 2:02:16 in Tokyo in 2024 to his third major, took the tape in a wild finish over fellow countryman Alexander Mutiso in 2:08:09, adding to owins elsewhere in Chicago (2022) and Boston (2022).
The pair had separated from the field over mile 24.
Third-place went to Albert Korir, securing an all-Kenyan podium in both the men’s and women’s races – a first for the New York City Marathon.
Legendary marathoner Eliud Kipchoge, running in his first New York City marathon and his last world major, was 17th in 2:14.36. The race represented his third marathon of the year following outings in Sydney and London. He wore a specialized top designed by Nike and typically reserved for ultramarathoners.
American Charles Hicks was seventh in 2:09:59, while Joe Klecker was 10th in 2:10:37. Both ran their marathon debuts.
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/corymull/2025/11/02/hellen-obiri-crushes-tcs-new-york-city-marathon-womens-record/
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