Another highly-anticipated showdown featuring Sharon Lokedi and Hellen Obiri will be on full display at the NYC Half on March 15 as both lead the way for a loaded elite lineup that was unveiled on Wednesday.
And in the men’s field Abel Kipchumba will be back to battle for his third straight title in a quest to solidify is position as the king of New York City’s premier half marathon.
New York Road Runners announced the entries the professional fields with all four of last year’s winners looking to take their own separate paths back to the top of the podium.
In the 2025 event, Lokedi broke away from Fiona O’Keeffe and Calli Hauger-Thackery through thr closing stages in Central Park as she surged to a 1:07:04 win. Lokedi’s emphatic win in New York would be a prelude to her dramatic victory at the Boston Marathon the following month in a battle that denied Obiri a third straight title in the major.
“New York has been so special to my career, and returning as the defending champion means a lot to me,” Lokedi said. “Running through Times Square and seeing all the young runners is one of the highlights for me and I can’t wait to draw inspiration from them again this year.”
Kipchumba won his second straight title in 59:09 last March after pulling ahead of Conner Mantz and Hillary Bor in the final four miles of the race in thick fog along the FDR highway. A win next month would tie him with Molly Huddle, who won three in a row from 2015 to 2015.
“Winning in New York is never easy, and coming back to defend my title again is a challenge I’m excited for,” Kipchumba said. “The energy on the streets pushes you from the first mile to the last, and I’m motivated to chase history against a world-class field.”
Grant Fisher will make his half marathon debut at the NYC Half in a year where other stars known for their success on the track are taking on other events outside of what fans are accustomed to seeing them at.
In both wheelchair division, last year’s winners will also be on the course as Geert Schipper and Manuela Schär take on the men’s and women’s races and hope to repeat their 2025 performances. Schipper is also fixed on winning a third straight NYC Half and believes he can dominate the course no matter the conditions — even with Johnboy Smith and Daniel Romanchuk vying to spoil his chance at another win.
“The United Airlines NYC Half has become one of my favorite races because of the atmosphere and iconic course,” Schipper said. “The competition keeps getting stronger and that pushes me to be better each year.”
Schär will not have an easy part toward another win as Eden Rainbow-Cooper, Hannah Dederick and Tatyana McFadden will all likely be a factor as the race inches out of Times Square and towards the park.
“Racing in New York always brings out the best in me and I’m thrilled to be back,” Schär said. “I love this course and I’m excited to see if I can defend my title!”
Meanwhile, last year’s race was also the largest half marathon ever staged by NYRR as more than 28,500 runners kicked off a packed spring of road races.
Men’s elite field
Abel Kipchumba (Kenya) – 58:07
Daniel Ebenyo (Kenya) – 59:04
Adriaan Wildschutt (South Africa) – 59:13
Patrick Kiprop (Kenya) – 59:14
Mohammed El Youssfi (Morocco) – 59:21
Alex Maier (USA) – 59:23
Galen Rupp (USA) – 59:47
Ryan Ford (USA) – 59:48
Sondre Nordstad Moen (Norway) – 59:48
Rory Linkletter (Canada) – 59:49
Patrick Dever (Great Britain) – 1:00:11
Zouhair Talbi (USA) – 1:00:41
Rui Aoki (Japan) – 1:00:45
Syunsuke Kuwata (Japan) – 1:00:48
Tsegay Tuemay Weldlibanos (Eritrea) – 1:00:50
Alex Masai (Kenya) – 1:00:51
Jack Rowe (Great Britain) – 1:00:53
Joe Klecker (USA) – 1:01:06
Peter Lynch (Ireland) – 1:01:15
Camren Todd (USA) – 1:01:23
Hendrik Pfeiffer (Germany) – 1:01:28
Benjamin Preisner (USA) – 1:02:25
Jacob Thomson (USA) – 1:02:26
Joel Reichow (USA) – 1:02:30
Max Turek (Canada) – 1:02:45
Haftu Knight (USA) – 1:02:47
Matthew Leach (Great Britain) – 1:02:57
Nick Hauger (USA) – 1:03:06
Kieran Tuntivate (Thailand) – 1:03:19
Turner Wiley (USA) – 1:04:04
Owen Ritz (USA) – 1:04:34 (USA) – 1:04:51
Charlie Lawrence (USA) – 1:05:07
Grant Fisher (USA) – Debut
Gulveer Singh (India) – Debut
Women’s elite field
Agnes Ngetich (Kenya) – 1:03:04
Hellen Obiri (Kenya) – 1:04:22
Fantaye Belayneh (Ethiopia) – 1:04:49
Sharon Lokedi (Kenya) – 1:05:00
Konstanze Klosterhalfen (Germany) – 1:05:41
Emily Sisson (USA) – 1:06:52
Calli Hauger-Thackery (Great Britain) – 1:06:58
Natosha Rogers (USA) – 1:07:30
Annie Frisbie (USA) – 1:07:34
Amanda Vestri (USA) – 1:07:35
Dakotah Popehn (USA) – 1:07:42
Emily Durgin (USA) – 1:07:54
Diane Van Es (Netherlands) – 1:08:03
Sarah Lahti (Sweden) – 1:08:19
Susanna Sullivan (USA) – 1:08:44
Emily Venters (USA) – 1:08:48
Mercy Chelangat (Kenya) – 1:08:57
Lauren Gregory (USA) – 1:09:12
Lindsay Flanagan (USA) – 1:09:17
Natasha Wodak (Canada) – 1:09:41
Stephanie Bruce (USA) – 1:09:55
Julia Paternain (Uruguay) – 1:10:16
Elena Hayday (USA) – 1:10:56
Felicia Pasadyn (USA) – 1:11:29
Erika Priego (Mexico) – 1:15:55
Gabrielle Yatauro (USA) – 1:15:59
Alosha Southern (USA) – 1:16:40
Megan Keith (Great Britain) – Debut
Men’s wheelchair field
Miguel Jimenez Vergara (USA) – 41:30
Johnboy Smith (Great Britain) – 43:34
Daniel Romanchuk (USA) – 43:43
Jeyna Senbeta (USA) – 43:45
Evan Correll (USA) – 44:30
Jason Robinson (USA) – 47:58
Hermin Garic (USA) – 48:15
Geert Schipper (Netherlands) – 48:43
Women’s wheelchair field
Eden Rainbow-Cooper (Great Britain) – 51:27
Hannah Dederick (USA) – 52:22
Tatyana McFadden (USA) – 52:25
Manuela Schär (Switzerland) – 53:10
Hoda Elshorbagy (Egypt) – 57:30
Linden Williamson (USA) – 58:03
Shauna Bocquet (Ireland) – 58:08
Michelle Wheeler (USA) – 1:00
