Hassan eyes New York return armed with lessons from brutal Big Apple debut

Olympic champion Sifan Hassan is preparing to return to the TCS New York City Marathon, having learned valuable lessons from her challenging debut last year. The Dutch runner, who won gold in the marathon at the 2024 Paris Olympics, struggled to finish sixth in 2:24.43 during her first appearance in New York last November. Hassan now believes that her knowledge of the demanding course could prove crucial when she competes in the November 1 race, alongside defending champion Hellen Obiri.

Obiri, a Kenyan athlete, clocked a blazing 2:15.53 to win last year's event and is looking forward to defending her title in New York. Both runners have faced significant challenges in the past, with Hassan recovering from an Achilles injury that forced her to withdraw from this year's London Marathon. The men's field includes Kipruto, who faced a historic photo finish with Mutiso in last year's race, while the women's competition features Jess McClain, the top American woman in Boston this year.