The 2024 New York City Marathon took place on November 3rd and was one of the largest and most unique marathons of all time. More than 55,000 runners from 150 countries raced through the five boroughs of NYC. Supporting the runners were two million spectators and 10,000 volunteers. The major marathon began in 1970 as a four loop run around Central Park and has grown in popularity every year since.
The NYC marathon is notoriously difficult to get into. This year, only 4% of the runners who applied got a spot. For those who did, they were greeted with a dazzling opening ceremony that included a Broadway-like dance performance, a parade of nations, introduction of top pro athletes, and a 20-minute fireworks display. As for the actual race, Abdi Negeeye of the Netherlands prevailed in the men’s race, and Sheila Chepkuiri of Kenya championed the women’s race. Negeeye became the first athlete from the Netherlands to capture a men’s open division victory, and Chepkuiri won her first ever World Marathon Majors title. The highest placing Americans were Conner Mantz and Sara Vaughn, both finishing sixth in their respective races.
The race went far beyond just fast times, as it served as a place to promote activism, and preached inclusivity. A wheelchair racing division was added in 2000. This year’s winners were Daniel Romanchuck and Susannah Scaroni, both representing the United States. A first, the finish line remained open until 10:00 pm, and the final finishers were cheered on in the dark by large crowds. New this year was a group of 250 athletes from the New York Road Racers Team for Climate. The group ran in honor of sustainability and to raise awareness about climate change, showing how sports can have an impact larger than themselves. The 2024 NYC marathon is one to remember, bringing together many groups of people from all over, full of support, love, and of course—running!
