Coverage Homepage

Post Race: Men’s Post-Race (coming soon) | Women’s Post-Race 

Race Day: As It Happens – Live Coverage

Pre-Race:
Men: Men’s Preview & Starter List
Women: Women’s Preview & Starter List
Head-to-Heads: Elite Athlete Past Matchups

2023 TCS New York City Marathon Men’s Preview and Starter List

See Also: Starter List (bottom of page)

The 2023 Men’s Marathon is loaded with seven men who have run sub 2:08 and eight more who have run sub 2:10 – those are fast times. Of course the New York City Marathon – with no pacers, and with ills and heat and humidity (this year, at least), will not see all of these men running that fast, nonetheless with a field this deep, we can expect to see a great race all the way to the finish line.

Unfortunately, the 2022 defending champion, Evans Chebet, was a late scratch and will not be returning to defend his title. To replace Chebet, race organizers, the New York Road Runners, recruited Tamirat Tola, whose 2:03:21 win at the 2021 Amsterdam Marathon makes him the man with the fastest time in the field and potentially the man to beat. Shura Kitata, the runner-up from the 2022 New York City Marathon and with a personal best time of 2:04:49 is also a favorite to win or podium in the race. Abdi Nageeye, the third fastest man in the field and the third finisher at the 2022 New York City Marathon is also expected to perform well.

Cam Levins of Canada is a surprise top contender. The Canadian set the record for fastest marathon finish by a North American when he ran 2:05:36 at the 2023 Tokyo Marathon. Edward Cheserek, a Kenyan athlete who has competed in the USA since High School and was an NCAA standout will be making his marathon debut with high hopes for a top finish. The top American prospect will be Elkaneh Kibet, who finished as top American and fourth overall at the 2021 New York City Marathon.

Male Elite Athletes
Athlete (Age)	Country	Personal Best
Tamirat Tola (32)	Ethiopia	2:03:39, Amsterdam, 2021
Shura Kitata (27)	Ethiopia	2:04:49, London, 2018
Abdi Nageeye (34)	Netherlands	2:04:56, Rotterdam, 2022
Amedework Walelegn (25)	Ethiopia	2:05:27, Seoul 2023
Cam Levins (34)	Canada	2:05:36, Tokyo, 2023
Maru Teferi (31)	Israel	2:06:43, Fukuoka, 2022
Koen Naert (34)	Belgium	2:06:56, Rotterdam, 2023
Iliass Aouani (28)	Italy	2:07:16, Barcelona, 2023
Albert Korir (29)	Kenya	2:08:03, Boston, 2023
Zouhair Talbi (28)	Morocco	2:08:35, Boston, 2023
Hendrik Pfeiffer (31)	Germany	2:08:48, Berlin, 2023
Yenew Alamirew Getahun (33)	Ethiopia	2:08:56, Dubai 2018
Jemal Yimer (27)	Ethiopia	2:08:58, Boston, 2022
Elkanah Kibet (40)	USA	2:09:07, Boston, 2022
Futsum Zienasellassie (30)	USA	2:09:40, Rotterdam, 2023
Erenjia Jia (30)	China	2:09:54, Berlin 2023
Nathan Martin (33)	USA	2:10:45, Duluth, 2023
Reed Fischer (28)	USA	2:10:54, Boston, 2022
Tyler McCandless (37)	USA	2:12:28, Sacramento, 2017
John Raneri (32)	USA	2:12:33, Sacramento, 2022
Will Nation (32)	USA	2:13:24, Sacramento, 2021
Joe Whelan (33)	USA	2:13:39, Duluth, 2019
Sydney Gidabuday (27)	USA	2:14:48, Ottawa, 2023
Ryan Root (32)	USA	2:15:22, The Marathon Project, 2020
Ashenafi Ketema Birhana (35)	Ethiopia	2:19:01, Philadelphia, 2021
Thomas Slattery (28)	USA	2:18:35, Houston, 2020
Andreas Myhre Sjurseth (39)	Norway	2:16:05, Berlin 2022
Wesley Robinson (27)	USA	2:16:02, Sacramento, 2022
Garret Lee (31)	USA	2:16:57, Duluth, 2023
Andrew Butchart (32)	United Kingdom	Debut
Edward Cheserek (29)	Kenya	Debut
Alberto Mondazzi (26)	Italy	Debut