Benson Kipruto delivered a heart-stopping finish to win the men’s title at the 2025 New York City Marathon, edging out compatriot Alexander Mutiso by just three-hundredths of a second in a dramatic photo finish.
The 33-year-old ran 2:08:09 to claim his fourth World Marathon Major crown, sealing a Kenyan double after Hellen Obiri’s record-breaking victory in the women’s race earlier in the day.
Full Results (Men’s Top 10 Finishers):
- Benson Kipruto (Kenya) – 2:08:09
- Alexander Mutiso (Kenya) – 2:08:09
- Albert Korir (Kenya) – 2:08:57
- Birhanu Legese (Ethiopia) – 2:09:15
- Tsegaye Getachew (Ethiopia) – 2:09:45
- Joel Reichow (USA) – 2:09:56
- Charles Hicks (USA) – 2:09:59
- Shura Kitata (Ethiopia) – 2:10:10
- Mohammed Esa (Ethiopia) – 2:10:22
- Joe Klecker (USA) – 2:10:37
- Eliud Kipchoge (Kenya) – 2:14:36
Kipruto’s triumph was the culmination of a tactical race that saw the top contenders, Eliud Kipchoge, Alexander Mutiso, Albert Korir, and Kipruto, run together through the early miles from Staten Island to Brooklyn.
The lead pack maintained a conservative 15:11 to 15:14 pace through the first 5K before the real battle began in Manhattan. At mile 22, the group whittled down to four, and by mile 23, Kipruto and Mutiso surged ahead. The pair traded leads down the final stretch in Central Park before Kipruto’s final burst secured victory by the narrowest of margins.
Kipruto pocketed $100,000 for the win, while Mutiso and Korir earned $60,000 and $40,000 respectively. Joel Reichow, the first American finisher, took home $25,000 after clocking 2:09:56, with debutant Charles Hicks earning $15,000 for seventh.
For Kipruto, the victory capped off an impressive streak across the marathon circuit, having previously won in Boston (2021), Chicago (2022), and Tokyo (2024). The result also underscored Kenya’s continued dominance in the marathon scene, as the nation claimed both the men’s and women’s crowns in New York for the first time since 2019.
The 2025 New York City Marathon marked the final World Marathon Major of the year. Attention now turns to the Valencia Marathon on December 7, where several elite runners are expected to chase fast times on the famously flat course.