New York, August 19, 2025 – New York Road Runners (NYRR), the nonprofit that “runs” New York City producing 60 annual adult and youth races, will bring together athletes from 20 countries for the 2025 TCS New York City Marathon, the best day of the year in the best city in the world. The diverse professional athlete field includes the four defending champions, nine additional former champions, 49 Olympians and Paralympians, and 16 Olympic, Paralympic, and World Championships medalists.

Taking place Sunday, November 2, the TCS New York City Marathon is one of the most inclusive and accessible sporting events in the world, with more than 55,000 athletes running the same course on the same day—from the first to the final finisher—and two million spectators lining the streets of New York City. Last year’s race set an event record with 55,642 finishers, which at the time was the largest marathon in world history.  

 

Headlining the professional athlete field are the four defending champions in the men’s and women’s open and wheelchair divisions—Abdi Nageeye of the Netherlands, Sheila Chepkirui of Kenya, and Daniel Romanchuk and Susannah Scaroni of the United States. All four captured historic victories in 2024, with Nageeye becoming the first athlete from the Netherlands to win a men’s open division title, Chepkirui winning her first Abbott World Marathon Majors title, and Romanchuk and Scaroni leading an American sweep of the wheelchair division for the first time in event history.

 

The men’s open division will also include the 2021 and 2022 TCS New York City Marathon champions Albert Korir and Evans Chebet and feature the highly anticipated marathon debuts of U.S. Olympians Hillary Bor and Joe Klecker.

For the first time since 2018, the women’s open division will feature the three most recent TCS New York City Marathon champions, as compatriots Hellen Obiri, the 2023 winner, and Sharon Lokedi, the 2022 victor, join Chepkirui. The field also includes American stars Fiona O’Keeffe, Molly Seidel, Emily Sisson, Susanna Sullivan.

 

Returning to the wheelchair division alongside Romanchuk and Scaroni are six-time TCS New York City Marathon champion and course record holder Marcel Hug, five-time champion Tatyana McFadden, three-time champion Manuela Schär, and champion and course record holder Catherine Debrunner.

 

Before more than 55,000 athletes of all ages and paces traverse the five boroughs for the TCS New York City Marathon, 2,500 youth ages two to 18 will kick off race week at the marathon’s official youth race, the TCS New York City Marathon Kids Kickoff, Sunday, October 26, in Central Park. One of more than 20 free youth events New York Road Runners hosts throughout the year, the TCS New York City Marathon Kids Kickoff will be the nonprofit’s largest youth event with races, dashes, games, and activities for the whole family.  

Men’s Open Division 

After finishing in the top five at the 2021, 2022, and 2023 TCS New York City Marathons, Nageeye rose to the top of the podium in 2024, winning his first Abbott World Marathon Majors title, outkicking former champions Chebet and Korir. The Dutch record holder in the half marathon and marathon, Nageeye rose to prominence after the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Marathon, where he won the silver medal.

 

“Winning my first Abbott World Marathon Majors title in New York last year was a dream come true,” said Nageeye. “Looking forward to November, I feel even more motivated to defend my title. I know the course and am excited for the energy of the crowd to propel me from Staten Island to Central Park.”

 

The rest of last year’s podium will also return. In 2022 Chebet became the first man since 2011 to win the Boston Marathon and TCS New York City Marathon in the same year. He returned to Boston the next year as an underdog—facing then world record holder Eliud Kipchoge—and successfully defended his title. Korir has had much success in New York City, placing on the podium in four of his five TCS New York City Marathon appearances: finishing second in 2019, first in 2021, second in 2023, and third in 2024.

 

Challenging them will be accomplished countrymen Benson Kipruto, Abel Kipchumba, and Alexander Mutiso. Kipruto holds the fastest personal best in the field with a 2:02:16 that he ran at the 2024 Tokyo Marathon, a course record. He won the bronze medal in the marathon at the Paris 2024 Olympics and has finished on the podium in his last six Abbott World Marathon Majors appearances, including victories at the 2021 Boston Marathon, 2022 Chicago Marathon, and 2024 Tokyo Marathon. Kipchumba is a two-time United Airlines NYC Half champion, running a new event record of 59:09 in 2025. Mutiso is making his TCS New York City Marathon debut after winning the 2024 London Marathon. His 57:59 half marathon time from Valencia in 2020 is still the twelfth fastest of all time.

 

The American field will be led by Bor, Klecker, and 10-mile American record-holder Alex Maier. Bor, a two-time Olympian and seven-time national champion, will make his debut after successfully moving from the track to the roads. He made his half marathon debut at the 2024 United Airlines NYC Half, finishing in fourth, and then ran 59:44 at the 2025 United Airlines NYC Half, the fifth-fastest time ever by an American. Klecker, a 2020 U.S. Olympian and 2022 national champion in the 10,000 meters, will try his hand at 26.2 miles after making his half marathon debut in January at the Houston Half Marathon. A rising star in American distance running, Maier captured the USATF Half Marathon Championships title in March. The American record holder at 10 miles, Maier holds the 11th fastest marathon time by an American man, after he won the 2025 Düsseldorf Marathon in 2:08:33.

 

Women’s Open Division

While claiming her first Abbott World Marathon Majors title at last year’s TCS New York City Marathon, Chepkirui also led a Kenyan sweep, the first time since 1978 that a single country had won gold, silver, and bronze in the women’s open division. A few months prior, she placed third at the Mastercard New York Mini 10K, her New York Road Runners racing debut.

 

“Breaking the tape at the 2024 TCS New York City Marathon was a defining moment in my career,” said Chepkirui. “After two successful trips to New York City last year, I look forward to returning and seeing what I can do.”

 

She will look to repeat as champion and will be joined by Vivan Cheruiyot, last year’s third place finisher, Obiri, last year’s runner-up, and Lokedi. At the 2024 TCS New York City Marathon, Cheruiyot ran the second-fastest time by a Masters woman, 2:25:21, while placing on the podium in third. It was her first TCS New York City Marathon appearance since her runner-up performance in 2018. With 11 World Championships and 4 Olympic medals, Cheruiyot is one of the most accomplished athletes in the field. Known for her range across a multitude of events, Obiri recently won the 2025 Mastercard New York Mini 10K, adding to her collection of New York City victories, which include the 2023 United Airlines NYC Half and TCS New York City Marathon. Obiri was the runner-up at last year’s TCS New York City Marathon. Lokedi famously won the 2022 TCS New York City Marathon in her debut at the distance and smashed the Boston Marathon course record en route to victory earlier this year. At the 2024 Paris Olympic Marathon she placed fourth after being a late addition to Kenya’s team.

Additional international contenders include Ethiopia’s Gotytom Gebreslase, a two-time World Championships medalist; Norway’s four-time Olympian Karoline Bjerkeli Grøvdal, who is making her TCS New York City Marathon debut after winning the 2024 United Airlines NYC Half; Britain’s Eilish McColgan, a four-time European Championships medalist and seven-time national champion; and Swiss Olympian and half marathon national record holder Fabienne Schlumpf.

 

Several familiar American women will line up on Staten Island, including 2024 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials champion O’Keeffe; 2020 Tokyo Olympic Marathon bronze medalist and the fastest American woman in TCS New York City Marathon history Seidel; American marathon record holder and two-time Olympian Sisson; and Sullivan, who holds the 10th-fastest American women’s marathon time in history and will compete for Team USA at the 2025 World Athletics Championships Marathon in September. The group will also include Sara Vaughn, who was the top American at the 2024 TCS New York City Marathon, placing sixth after being added to the field late, and Amanda Vestri, who claimed her first national title in July at the USATF 6K Championships and will make her marathon debut.

 

Men’s Wheelchair Division

Leading the wheelchair division will be defending champion Romanchuk, who also won in 2018 and 2019. His victory in 2018 was historic as he became the first American and youngest athlete to ever win the men’s wheelchair division at the TCS New York City Marathon.

 

“I love racing through the streets of New York City and there’s no better place to wrap up the year’s marathon majors,” said Romanchuk. “I ran my first TCS New York City Marathon nine years ago, and it’s been incredible to see not only my growth, but the sport’s as well. I’m grateful for another opportunity to compete with the best in the world.”

 

Last year’s runner-up, Great Britain’s David Weir, will also return. He is one of the most decorated wheelchair racers in the world and won the New York City Marathon 15 years ago.  

 

All eyes will be on Switzerland’s Marcel Hug, who holds the record for most TCS New York City Marathon wheelchair victories with an astonishing six, including three consecutive titles from 2021 to 2023. A six-time Paralympic champion, 12-time world champion, and marathon world record holder, Hug holds the TCS New York City Marathon course record and won his eighth Boston Marathon in April.

 

Also racing for the title will be the Netherlands’ Jetze Plat, a Paralympic champion in both cycling and triathlon who won the 2023 United Airlines NYC Half, and Japan’s Tomoki Suzuki, the 2020, 2024, and 2025 Tokyo Marathon champion. He placed third in last year’s TCS New York City Marathon.

 

Women’s Wheelchair Division

Scaroni dominated the 2024 TCS New York City Marathon, capturing her second title by more than 10 minutes, one of the largest margins of victory in event history. Along with her two TCS New York City Marathon victories, Scaroni has six Mastercard New York Mini 10K and three United Airlines NYC Half titles to her name.

 

“Sharing last year’s TCS New York City Marathon victory with Daniel was a career highlight,” said Scaroni. “Running the same course as tens of thousands of other athletes is so special and I cannot wait to feed off New York City’s energy, enthusiasm, and excitement once again.”

 

Rounding out last year’s podium were McFadden and Schär, both former TCS New York City Marathon champions who will once again battle Scaroni in November.

 

With 22 Paralympic medals to her name, McFadden is the most decorated American track and field athlete of all time and is tied for the most TCS New York City Marathon women’s wheelchair division titles with five.

 

Schär, a 10-time Paralympic medalist and 11-time world championships medalist, won the TCS New York City Marathon three times consecutively from 2017 to 2019 and has made the podium in all 12 of her appearances.

 

The trio will be joined by 2023 TCS New York City Marathon champion Debrunner, who holds the course record, and Great Britain’s Eden Rainbow-Cooper, the 2024 Boston Marathon champion. Debrunner, a 10-time Abbott World Marathon Majors champion, most recently won the 2025 London Marathon in course record fashion. With her surprise victory in Boston, Rainbow-Cooper became the first woman from Great Britain to win the wheelchair division.

 

The 2025 TCS New York City Marathon women’s professional athlete field is presented by Mastercard®.

 

NR = National Record

NR = National Record

NR = National Record

NR = National Record

 

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About New York Road Runners (NYRR)   

A New York City-based nonprofit, New York Road Runners’ vision is to build healthier lives and stronger communities through the transformative power of running – serving nearly a half a million people annually through its races, free community events, youth running initiatives, and school-based programs across the five boroughs. During its nearly 70 years, New York Road Runners has grown from a local running club to the world’s premier community running organization, producing more than 60 adult and youth races each year, including the TCS New York City Marathon. Held the first Sunday each November, the TCS New York City Marathon features more than 50,000 runners—from the world’s best professional athletes to a vast range of runners across experience levels, ages, genders, abilities, and backgrounds. To learn more, visit www.nyrr.org.  

 

MEDIA CONTACT:   

NYRR Public Relations | Carole Harsch, 929-746-6984, charsch@nyrr.org