On Sunday, practically 60,000 runners will take to the beginning line of the world’s largest marathon, racing by New York Metropolis’s 5 boroughs. From feel-good tales to superstar appearances to stacked elite fields, the TCS New York Metropolis Marathon at all times brings all of it. Right here’s a have a look at the important thing storylines and methods to comply with the motion on race day.
Will Sifan Hassan win her fourth main?
Since Dutch distance star Sifan Hassan moved as much as the marathon in 2023, she’s dominated the space, successful 4 of her six races—together with Olympic gold. Final yr in Paris, Hassan redefined what was humanly potential, medalling in two Olympic observe occasions earlier than outkicking former world file holder Tigst Assefa of Ethiopia for marathon gold within the ultimate 200 metres.
Hassan adopted that up with a third-place end on the 2025 London Marathon and a victory on the TCS Sydney Marathon (in its inaugural yr as an Abbott World Marathon Main) six weeks in the past.
Regardless of by no means racing in New York earlier than and dealing with three former champions, Sharon Lokedi, Hellen Obiri and Sheila Chepkirui, Hassan stays the favorite. The race’s rolling, difficult course fits her racing fashion, much like each her Olympic win in Paris and, most just lately, Sydney. Despite the fact that she ran a marathon, brief relaxation will not be new territory for Hassan. She received Chicago in 2023, solely weeks after competing in three occasions on the World Championships in Budapest, and he or she received Olympic marathon gold on a fair tighter turnaround final yr (medalling within the 5,000m and 10,000m on the observe).
If Hassan wins on Sunday, she would turn into the primary lady to ever win at 4 totally different Abbott World Marathon Majors.
Obiri and Lokedi will likely be seeking to reclaim the highest spot after shedding to compatriot Chepkirui final yr. Obiri has completed on the rostrum in her final three marathons however hasn’t damaged the tape since finishing her Boston–New York–Boston sweep in 2023-2024.
The final hurrah between greats
For long-time athletics followers, Sunday may very well be a bittersweet second, with probably the ultimate aggressive showdown between two of the best distance runners in historical past: Eliud Kipchoge and Kenenisa Bekele.
Between them, they personal 5 Olympic gold medals, six world titles, 13 Abbott World Marathon Main victories and three of the 5 quickest marathon instances ever recorded. The 2 have confronted off 5 instances over the marathon distance, with Kipchoge holding a 4–1 file. Bekele’s lone win got here most just lately on the 2024 Paris Olympics, the place he completed thirty ninth in 2:12:24, whereas Kipchoge dropped out with a hip challenge.
Their rivalry stretches again a lot additional. They first raced twenty years in the past on the 2003 Bislett Video games in Oslo, the place a 21-year-old Bekele held off an 18-year-old Kipchoge by three-tenths of a second to win the boys’s 5,000m in 12:52.26. Later that summer season on the 2003 World Championships in Paris, Kipchoge obtained his redemption, successful gold within the 5,000m forward of Morocco’s Hicham El Guerrouj and Bekele, who took bronze.
Extra just lately, Bekele has proven flashes of his outdated brilliance, working 2:04:15 on the 2024 London Marathon to set a males’s masters 40+ world file and show he can nonetheless combine it up with the most effective.
In a pre-race interview with Olympics.com, Kipchoge hinted that New York could be his ultimate main, marking the completion of his seven-star medal quest. When he crosses the end line in Central Park, he’ll turn into the primary man to win an Olympic marathon and full all seven Abbott World Marathon Majors.
For the 43-year-old, Bekele, the top could also be close to. If it have been as much as him, he’d run endlessly.
Final yr, Abdi Nageeye grew to become the primary European males’s winner of the New York Metropolis Marathon in 28 years, and he’ll be again to defend his title on Sunday. If Nageeye repeats and Hassan wins on the ladies’s facet, Dutch flags may very well be flying throughout Central Park. It could additionally mark the primary time in historical past that each NYC champions are from the identical European nation.
Methods to watch
The 2025 TCS New York Metropolis Marathon will likely be aired in Canada on TSN3, with protection starting at 8:00 a.m. ET Sunday. You can even stream the occasion dwell on-line through the TSN app or through TSN.ca/dwell.
All of the motion for the 2025 TCS New York Metropolis Marathon will likely be dropped at you by Canadian Operating and New Steadiness. Comply with us on X or Instagram for in-depth dwell protection, tweeting and up-to-date unique information and content material.
