Eliud Kipchoge of Kenya bumps fists with Kenenisa Bekele of Ethiopia before a past race.
Former world record holder in men’s marathon, Eliud Kipchoge of Kenya, renews rivalry with former world record holder in men’s 5,000 metres and 10,000m, Kenenisa Bekele of Ethiopia, in the 54th edition of New York City Marathon this afternoon.
This year, the New York City Marathon has attracted 50,000 runners from around the globe, battling for a share of the total prize fund of Sh117 million ($900,000). The men’s race will start at 4:05 pm (Kenyan time), while the women’s competition will begin at 3:35 pm.
The New York Marathon is the last of this season’s seven Abbott World Marathon Majors (WMM) races made up seven of the biggest and most prestigious marathon races. The other races in the series are Tokyo Marathon (March 2), Boston Marathon (April 21), London Marathon (April 27), Sydney Marathon (August 31), Berlin Marathon (September 21) and Chicago Marathon (October 12).
A handout picture released by the the London Marathon on September 30, 2020 shows Ethiopia's Kenenisa Bekele speaking to the media via Zoom in a virtual and socially distanced press conference from inside the official hotel and biosecure bubble for the historic elite-only 2020 Virgin Money London Marathon to be held on 4th October.
Winners of both men's and women’s races will each pocket Sh12.9 million ($100,000), with the second-placed runner taking home Sh7.752 million ($60,000). Third-placed finishers will take home Sh5.168m ($40,000).
A bonus of Sh6.46m ($50,000) will be on offer for the course record of 2:04:58 that belongs to Ethiopia’s Tamirat Tola from the 2023 edition. The women’s course record is 2:22:31, held by Kenya’s Margaret Okayo since 2003.
The 2016 and 2020 Olympic marathon champion Kipchoge and the 2008 men’s 5,000m and 10,000m Olympics champion Bekela have both defied age and expectation in road running.
Kipchoge, 41, is the fastest in the elite field, having clocked 2 hours, 1 minute and nine seconds in his record-breaking run at the 2022 Berlin Marathon, while Bekele, 43, is the second fastest in the field with a time of 2:01:41 from the 2019 Berlin Marathon.
The two last met at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, with Bekele finishing 39th. Kipchoge did not finish the race.
Kipchoge and Bekele first met at a world championship event in Paris in 2003. Their most recent meeting took place in the marathon at the 2024 Olympic Games, also in Paris. For two decades, the two have continued to define and transform distance running.
Eliud Kipchoge after completing the Sydney Marathon in Australia on August 31, 2025.
Kipchoge has dominated marathons, setting the world records twice, and Bekele has excelled in track events, setting the world record twice in both 10,000m and 5,000m races.
Kipchoge, 41, is widely regarded as the greatest marathoner of all time, even without his well-publicised but unofficial sub-two-hour marathon time of 2:00:25 in Monza, Italy, in 2017 and his historic Ineos Challenge time of 1:59:41 in Vienna, in 2019.
Bekele, 43, might not have won as many Olympic and world titles as Briton Mo Farah, nor as many world records as his compatriot Haile Gebrselassie, but he is arguably the greatest all-around distance runner of all time.
The two have raced together many times, with Bekele outclassing Kipchoge in almost all track events.
Today, the two experienced athletes face a group of young athletes eager to make their mark on one of the world’s biggest stages. They include 2024 Olympics bronze medalist Benson Kipruto, who is the third fastest in the field with a personal best of 2:02:16, former London Marathon champion Alexander Mutiso (2:03:11), Abel Kipchumba (2:06:49) and the 2021 New York Marathon champion Albert Korir (2:06:57).
Kipchoge will get a seven-star medal reserved for athletes who have competed in all seven Abbott Marathon Majors today, amid speculation that he might retire from running with a major announcement after finishing the race.
“I wanted to experience the New York Marathon course, and being my first time here, I’m just running to inspire the upcoming generation, and to see what the race will offer…my happiness is to see people doing the sport as a movement. This makes the world united, and that’s the beauty of it. It makes people happy,” Kipchoge said.
“I’m looking forward to getting a seven-star medal and that will make me feel like a real marathoner and for my longevity, I must admit that discipline has kept me this far and I’m happy with my progress,” said Kipchoge.
Kipchoge started the season with a sixth-place finish in the London Marathon on April 27 in 2:05:25, and finished ninth in the Sydney Marathon on August 31 in 2:08:31.
Defending champion Abdi Nageeye (2:04:20) from the Netherlands, Ethiopia’s Deresa Geleta (2:02:38), and world champion Alphonce Simbu from Tanzania (2:04:38) are among the top marathoners in the men’s race.
In the women’s race, three former champions - last year's winner Sheila Chepkirui with a personal best of 2:17:29, the 2022 winner Sharon Lokedi (2:17:22) and the 2023 champion Hellen Obiri (2:17:41) - will battle it out for top honours.
Sifan Hassan of Netherlands celebrates after winning gold in the women's marathon in Paris on August 11, 2024.
The 2024 Olympics marathon champion Sifan Hassan is the fastest in the field with a personal best of 2:13:44. She was a late addition to the field after winning the Sydney Marathon in August. Also in the mix is the 2018 London Marathon champion Vivian Cheruiyot. Edna Kiplagat withdrew from the race after she was bereaved.
Lokedi started the season with a victory in the Boston Marathon ahead of Obiri and Ethiopia’s Yalemzerf Yehualaw, who finished third.
Chepkirui, who trains in Kericho, expects a tough race.
“The race will be a tough one. There will be tough competition from my compatriots, as well as from athletes from other countries who are all eyeing the title,” said Chepkirui. Ethiopia’s Gotytom Gebreslase (2:18:11) USA’s Emily Sisson (2:18:23), Sara Hall (2:20:32), Susanna Sullivan (2:21:56), Fiona O’Keeffe (2:22:10) will also in the race.
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