New York City Marathon

race

Written and fact-checked by The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last Updated: Nov 17, 2024 • Article History

Key People:: Paula Radcliffe; Robert Kipkoech Cheruiyot

Related Topics:: marathon; running

Notable Honorees:: Grete Waitz

See all related content

News •

She ran the New York City Marathon drunk. And she'd do it again • Nov. 15, 2024, 9:43 AM ET (NPR)

Down's syndrome: Runner becomes crowd favourite at New York Marathon • Nov. 10, 2024, 2:03 AM ET (BBC)

Influencer is banned from future NYC marathons for bringing a camera crew to last weekend’s race • Nov. 8, 2024, 9:38 AM ET (The Star)

Abdi Nageeye of the Netherlands and Sheila Chepkirui of Kenya win the New York City Marathon • Nov. 3, 2024, 8:01 PM ET (AP)

Romanchuk wins men's wheelchair race at NYC Marathon, Scaroni wins women's event • Nov. 3, 2024, 10:19 AM ET (AP)

New York City Marathon, 26.2-mile footrace held every November through the five boroughs of New York City. The New York City Marathon often draws the largest number of participants of all annual marathons, and it is—with the Berlin, Boston, Chicago, London, and Tokyo marathons—one of the world’s six major marathons.

The first New York City Marathon was held in 1970, and the route consisted of a series of laps through Manhattan’s Central Park. The course took on its current shape, which begins on Staten Island and ends in Manhattan, in 1976. Norway’s Grete Waitz won the women’s New York City Marathon a record nine times, and American Bill Rogers holds the men’s record with four wins.

Winners of the New York City Marathon are provided in the table.

Assorted sports balls including a basketball, football, soccer ball, tennis ball, baseball and others.

Britannica Quiz

American Sports Nicknames

New York City Marathon
year	men*	hr:min:s	women*	hr:min:s
*Won by a U.S. runner except as indicated.
1970	Gary Muhrcke	2:31:38	no finisher
1971	Norm Higgins	2:22:54	Beth Bonner	2:55:22
1972	Sheldon Karlin	2:27:52	Nina Kuscsik	3:08:41
1973	Tom Fleming	2:21:54	Nina Kuscsik	2:57:07
1974	Norb Sander	2:26:30	Katherine Switzer	3:07:29
1975	Tom Fleming	2:19:27	Kim Merritt	2:46:14
1976	Bill Rodgers	2:10:09	Miki Gorman	2:39:11
1977	Bill Rodgers	2:11:28	Miki Gorman	2:43:10
1978	Bill Rodgers	2:12:12	Grete Waitz (Nor.)	2:32:30
1979	Bill Rodgers	2:11:42	Grete Waitz (Nor.)	2:27:33
1980	Alberto Salazar	2:09:41	Grete Waitz (Nor.)	2:25:41
1981	Alberto Salazar	2:08:13	Allison Roe (N.Z.)	2:25:29
1982	Alberto Salazar	2:09:29	Grete Waitz (Nor.)	2:27:14
1983	Rod Dixon (N.Z.)	2:08:59	Grete Waitz (Nor.)	2:27:00
1984	Orlando Pizzolato (Italy)	2:14:53	Grete Waitz (Nor.)	2:29:30
1985	Orlando Pizzolato (Italy)	2:11:34	Grete Waitz (Nor.)	2:28:34
1986	Gianni Poli (Italy)	2:11:06	Grete Waitz (Nor.)	2:28:06
1987	Ibrahim Hussein (Kenya)	2:11:01	Priscilla Welch (U.K.)	2:30:17
1988	Steve Jones (Wales)	2:08:20	Grete Waitz (Nor.)	2:28:07
1989	Juma Ikangaa (Tanz.)	2:08:01	Ingrid Kristiansen (Nor.)	2:25:30
1990	Douglas Wakiihuri (Kenya)	2:12:39	Wanda Panfil (Pol.)	2:30:45
1991	Salvador Garcia (Mex.)	2:09:28	Liz McColgan (U.K.)	2:27:23
1992	Willie Mtolo (S.Af.)	2:09:29	Lisa Ondieki (Austl.)	2:24:40
1993	Andres Espinosa (Mex.)	2:10:04	Uta Pippig (Ger.)	2:26:24
1994	German Silva (Mex.)	2:11:21	Tegla Loroupe (Kenya)	2:27:37
1995	German Silva (Mex.)	2:11:00	Tegla Loroupe (Kenya)	2:28:06
1996	Giacomo Leone (Italy)	2:09:54	Anuta Catuna (Rom.)	2:28:18
1997	John Kagwe (Kenya)	2:08:12	Franziska Rochat-Moser (Switz.)	2:28:43
1998	John Kagwe (Kenya)	2:08:45	Franca Fiacconi (Italy)	2:25:17
1999	Joseph Chebet (Kenya)	2:09:14	Adriana Fernández (Mex.)	2:25:06
2000	Abdelkhader El Mouaziz (Mor.)	2:10:09	Ludmilla Petrova (Russia)	2:25:45
2001	Tesfaye Jifar (Eth.)	2:07:43	Margaret Okayo (Kenya)	2:24:21
2002	Rodgers Rop (Kenya)	2:08:07	Joyce Chepchumba (Kenya)	2:25:56
2003	Martin Lel (Kenya)	2:10:30	Margaret Okayo (Kenya)	2:22:31
2004	Hendrik Ramaala (S.Af.)	2:09:28	Paula Radcliffe (U.K.)	2:23:10
2005	Paul Tergat (Kenya)	2:09:30	Jelena Prokopcuka (Latvia)	2:24:41
2006	Marilson Gomes dos Santos (Braz.)	2:09:58	Jelena Prokopcuka (Latvia)	2:25:05
2007	Martin Lel (Kenya)	2:09:04	Paula Radcliffe (U.K.)	2:23:09
2008	Marilson Gomes dos Santos (Braz.)	2:08:43	Paula Radcliffe (U.K.)	2:23:56
2009	Meb Keflezighi	2:09:15	Derartu Tulu (Eth.)	2:28:52
2010	Gebre Gebremariam (Eth.)	2:08:14	Edna Kiplagat (Kenya)	2:28:20
2011	Geoffrey Mutai (Kenya)	2:05:06	Firehiwot Dado (Eth.)	2:23:15
2012	canceled
2013	Geoffrey Mutai (Kenya)	2:08:24	Priscah Jeptoo (Kenya)	2:25:07
2014	Wilson Kipsang (Kenya)	2:10:59	Mary Keitany (Kenya)	2:25:07
2015	Stanley Biwott (Kenya)	2:10:34	Mary Keitany (Kenya)	2:24:25
2016	Ghirmay Ghebreslassie (Eritrea)	2:07:51	Mary Keitany (Kenya)	2:24:26
2017	Geoffrey Kamworor (Kenya)	2:10:53	Shalane Flanagan	2:26:53
2018	Lelisa Desisa (Eth.)	2:05:59	Mary Keitany (Kenya)	2:22:48
2019	Geoffrey Kamworor (Kenya)	2:08:13	Joyciline Jepkosgei (Kenya)	2:22:38
2020	canceled
2021	Albert Korir (Kenya)	2:08:22	Peres Jepchirchir (Kenya)	2:22:39
2022	Evans Chebet (Kenya)	2:08:41	Sharon Lokedi (Kenya)	2:23:23
2023	Tamirat Tola (Eth.)	2:04:58	Hellen Obiri (Kenya)	2:27:23
2024	Abdi Nageeye (Neth.)	2:07:39	Sheila Chepkirui (Kenya)	2:24:35

This article was most recently revised and updated by Amy Tikkanen.