The number 2 must be a favourite number for Kenya’s Hellen Obiri. The two-time World Champion, two-time Boston Marathon winner, and two-time Olympic silver medalist is now a two-time NYC Half Marathon champion after winning the women’s race at the 2026 United Airlines NYC Half Marathon.
Adriaan Wildschutt of South Africa, the national record holder in the 3000m, 5000m, 10,000m, and half-marathon, surged in the last stages to win the men’s race.
At around 7 km in the women’s race, Ngetich, who had been leading from the start, increased the pace a little, and soon the four leaders, Obiri, Sharon Lokedi, Fentaye Belayneh and Ngetich, who had crossed the 5 km point in 15:15, separated. Only Obiri held on to the fast pace behind her. The two crossed the 10km in 30:50 with Belayneh and Lokedi nine seconds behind them.
Obiri would at times move shoulder to shoulder with Ngetich, then move again to her back. As they approached 15 km, Obirir seemed to sense some hints of a struggle in Ngetich and seized the opportunity to break away, of which Ngetich didn’t have an answer.
Obiri was suddenly running alone as she crossed 15K, already 30 seconds ahead of Ngetich. A group of three runners: Lokedi, Megan Keith and Belayneh were 6 seconds further behind.
After crossing 20K in 1:03:02 with no one following her, Obiri was already assured of the win as she went ahead to win the race in a new course record of 1:06:33. Lokodi followed in 1:07:10 for second place, ahead of Megan Keith of Great Britain in 1:07:13.
The men’s race unfolded differently, with a huge leading pack going together almost to the closing stages. 18 runners went through the 5K point in 13:57, then 14 were still together through the 10K point in 27:56, with the number remaining together through 15K in 42:24.
However, soon after that, Wildschutt finally decided to implement his coach’s advice. He made a move with less than 5 km to go, and a gap began to grow behind him.
At 20K, Wildschutt was eleven seconds ahead as USA’s Zouhair Talbi and India’s Gulveer Singh formed a two-man chasing pack behind him.
The order remained the same through the finish line as Wildschutt won the race in 59:30. Talbi followed in 59:41, slightly ahead of Singh in 59:42.
