Sweden's Andreas Almgren turns a breakout year into marathon glory, winning the New York Marathon in his first crack at 26.2 miles.
Andreas Almgren has added a major marathon title to what has already been a remarkable season. The Swedish runner won the New York Marathon in his first race over 26.2 miles.
Winning a marathon on debut is hard enough. Doing it on the streets of New York, across five boroughs and one of the most demanding courses in the sport, makes it even more impressive. The distance punishes mistakes in pacing and fueling, and first-timers rarely get it right. Almgren did.
The win is a statement for a runner who has been building momentum all year. His move up to the marathon was a gamble, and it has paid off at the highest level. Few athletes can claim a major victory in their first attempt at the distance.
Almgren now steps into the next phase of his career with a major title already to his name. The marathon world will be watching to see what he does next.
