On Sunday, nearly 60,000 runners will take to the start line of the world’s largest marathon, racing through New York City’s five boroughs. From feel-good stories to celebrity appearances to stacked elite fields, the TCS New York City Marathon always brings it all. Here’s a look at the key storylines and how to follow the action on race day.
Will Sifan Hassan win her fourth major?
Since Dutch distance star Sifan Hassan moved up to the marathon in 2023, she’s dominated the distance, winning four of her six races—including Olympic gold. Last year in Paris, Hassan redefined what was humanly possible, medalling in two Olympic track events before outkicking former world record holder Tigst Assefa of Ethiopia for marathon gold in the final 200 metres.
Hassan followed that up with a third-place finish at the 2025 London Marathon and a victory at the TCS Sydney Marathon (in its inaugural year as an Abbott World Marathon Major) six weeks ago.
Despite never racing in New York before and facing three former champions, Sharon Lokedi, Hellen Obiri and Sheila Chepkirui, Hassan remains the favourite. The race’s rolling, challenging course suits her racing style, similar to both her Olympic win in Paris and, most recently, Sydney. Even though she ran a marathon, short rest is not new territory for Hassan. She won Chicago in 2023, only weeks after competing in three events at the World Championships in Budapest, and she won Olympic marathon gold on an even tighter turnaround last year (medalling in the 5,000m and 10,000m on the track).
If Hassan wins on Sunday, she would become the first woman to ever win at four different Abbott World Marathon Majors.
Obiri and Lokedi will be looking to reclaim the top spot after losing to compatriot Chepkirui last year. Obiri has finished on the podium in her last three marathons but hasn’t broken the tape since completing her Boston–New York–Boston sweep in 2023-2024.
The last hurrah between greats
For long-time athletics fans, Sunday could be a bittersweet moment, with possibly the final competitive showdown between two of the greatest distance runners in history: Eliud Kipchoge and Kenenisa Bekele.
Between them, they own five Olympic gold medals, six world titles, 13 Abbott World Marathon Major victories and three of the five fastest marathon times ever recorded. The two have faced off five times over the marathon distance, with Kipchoge holding a 4–1 record. Bekele’s lone win came most recently at the 2024 Paris Olympics, where he finished 39th in 2:12:24, while Kipchoge dropped out with a hip issue.
Their rivalry stretches back much further. They first raced two decades ago at the 2003 Bislett Games in Oslo, where a 21-year-old Bekele held off an 18-year-old Kipchoge by three-tenths of a second to win the men’s 5,000m in 12:52.26. Later that summer at the 2003 World Championships in Paris, Kipchoge got his redemption, winning gold in the 5,000m ahead of Morocco’s Hicham El Guerrouj and Bekele, who took bronze.
More recently, Bekele has shown flashes of his old brilliance, running 2:04:15 at the 2024 London Marathon to set a men’s masters 40+ world record and prove he can still mix it up with the best.
In a pre-race interview with Olympics.com, Kipchoge hinted that New York would be his final major, marking the completion of his seven-star medal quest. When he crosses the finish line in Central Park, he’ll become the first man to win an Olympic marathon and complete all seven Abbott World Marathon Majors.
For the 43-year-old, Bekele, the end may be near. If it were up to him, he’d run forever.
Last year, Abdi Nageeye became the first European men’s winner of the New York City Marathon in 28 years, and he’ll be back to defend his title on Sunday. If Nageeye repeats and Hassan wins on the women’s side, Dutch flags could be flying all over Central Park. It would also mark the first time in history that both NYC champions are from the same European country.
How to watch
The 2025 TCS New York City Marathon will be aired in Canada on TSN3, with coverage beginning at 8:00 a.m. ET Sunday. You can also stream the event live online via the TSN app or via TSN.ca/live.
All the action for the 2025 TCS New York City Marathon will be brought to you by Canadian Running and New Balance. Follow us on X or Instagram for in-depth live coverage, tweeting and up-to-date exclusive news and content.
