New York City Marathon 2026: Jessica McClain Outsprints Hellen Obiri to Take Second Place
Jessica McClain emerged as one of the standout performers of the 2026 New York City Marathon, finishing second in the women’s elite race with a time of 2:24:42. The 34-year-old from Phoenix executed a brilliant finish, catching Hellen Obiri on a short rise in the final 200 meters to secure her podium spot. With this result, she became the first American woman in the top three in New York since Shalane Flanagan in 2018, adding another important chapter to her rapidly progressing marathon career.
McClain stayed close to the front throughout the race. At halfway, reached in 1:13:52, she led a group of American runners, controlling the pace with confidence. At 25K, 30K, and 35K she remained in the main pack, and at 35K she was still one of six women in contention for the podium. When Sheila Chepkirui surged and ran the fastest 5K segment of the race, only Hellen Obiri followed, while McClain allowed a small gap to open. In the closing stages, however, she managed her effort precisely, using a strong final push to return to podium position.
This performance highlights McClain’s clear upward trajectory at major marathons. Her first big race was the 2024 New York City Marathon, where she finished eighth in 2:27:19 as the second American. Five months later she placed seventh at the Boston Marathon in 2:22:43, already under new coach David Roche. In April 2026 she returned to Boston, finishing fifth in 2:20:49, improving the American course record. She also placed eighth at the 2025 World Championships marathon in Tokyo. Her run in New York in 2026 was more than two minutes faster than her time on the same course two years earlier, clearly showing the scale of her progress.
Jessica McClain – Splits at the 2026 New York City Marathon
| Checkpoint | Cumulative Time |
|---|---|
| 5K | 18:25 |
| 10K | 35:46 |
| 15K | 52:59 |
| 20K | 1:13:13 |
| Half Marathon | 1:13:52 |
| 25K | 1:27:28 |
| 30K | 1:44:03 |
| 35K | 2:01:15 |
| 40K | 2:17:53 |
| Mile 25 | 2:18:29 |
| Mile 26 | 2:23:38 |
| Finish | 2:24:42 |
McClain’s performance is a key part of the broader story of the 2026 New York City Marathon, where both the men’s and women’s races delivered standout results. In the men’s race, Andreas Almgren won in his marathon debut, while in the women’s race Sheila Chepkirui defended her title. McClain’s result adds a strong American highlight to this year’s edition and shows that her development at the marathon distance continues to move upward.
Source: USATF and FloTrack
