Sheila Chepkirui Wins 2024 New York City Marathon in Thrilling Finish

Kenya‘s Sheila Chepkirui made history on Sunday, November 3, 2024, by winning the women’s race at the New York City Marathon. This victory marked her first win at a World Major Marathon, despite it being only her fourth marathon overall.

Chepkirui, 33, completed the marathon in an impressive time of 2:24:35, edging out the reigning champion, Hellen Obiri, who finished in 2:24:49. The race was intense, particularly in the final miles, where Chepkirui used the hills of Central Park to her advantage, making a decisive move to break away from Obiri with approximately half a mile to go.

Vivian Cheruiyot, a 41-year-old Kenyan athlete, rounded out the podium with a time of 2:25:21, ensuring a Kenyan sweep of the top three female spots. Chepkirui’s win was notable not only for her performance but also because she transitioned from being a 5000m and 10,000m runner to a successful marathon athlete.

For her victory, Chepkirui takes home $100,000 in prize money, while Obiri receives $60,000 for her second-place finish, and Cheruiyot gets $40,000 for third place.

In addition to the women’s race, the 2024 New York City Marathon saw American athletes Daniel Romanchuk and Susannah Scaroni win the men’s and women’s wheelchair titles, respectively. Romanchuk secured his third NYC title with a time of 1:36:31, and Scaroni regained her women’s wheelchair title with a time of 1:48:05).