2023 New York City Marathon preview: Full schedule and how to watch live

Buckle up for the 2023 New York City Marathon!

The 52nd edition of the race on Sunday (5 November) is promising to be a thriller.

The women’s field is one of the best fields assembled in recent years.

It will be the first time that the reigning Olympic champion, the Boston Marathon winner and last year’s New York winner line up together at the Big Apple.

Peres Jepchirchir (Kenya) returns after her 2021 victory and is keen to improve her third-place finish in London last April, as Hellen Obiri (Kenya) seeks her second victory in her third career marathon.

Then there’s defending champion Sharon Lokedi (Kenya), and Olympic silver medallist Brigid Kosgei (Kenya) who was the marathon world record holder until September.

The men’s field will look a bit different than the one earlier announced as three elite athletes had to pull out. Defending champion Evans Chebet, his Kenyan compatriot Geoffrey Kamworor and Ethiopian Gotytom Gebreslase will not be able to race.

But World Championship medalists Maru Teferi of Israel and Mosinet Geremew of Ethiopia, Netherland’s Olympic silver winner Abdi Nageeye and 2021 New York Marathon champ Albert Korir of Kenya are all scheduled to start on Sunday.

Here is a rundown of what to expect from the final stop of the World Marathon Majors for the year, the full schedule and how to watch live.

• Hellen Obiri on how patience helped her win the Boston Marathon and the inspiration she takes from Eliud Kipchoge
• Abdi Nageeye targets New York City Marathon win after Olympic success
• After Olympic glory, Peres Jepchirchir is fired up for the 2022 Boston marathon and a world record: "Having a baby motivated me"

Olympic medallist Peres Jepchirchir, Brigid Kosgei and Hellen Obiri lead top class women’s field

The Kenyan men’s Olympic marathon team seems to be shaping up well, with the cast likely to include Kelvin Kiptum and Eliud Kipchoge. Kiptum shattered the world record in Chicago in October, just a fortnight after Kipchoge sealed his fifth Berlin Marathon win in dominant fashion.

Both have openly expressed their desire to race at the Paris Olympics.

But the road to the Paris for their female counterparts is still very much an open one.

2023 Tokyo Marathon winner Rosemary Wanjiru and two-time Olympic silver medallist Obiri are the only Kenyan women who have earned podium finishes at a World Marathon Majors race this year.

Obiri won the prestigious Boston race which was just her second marathon, after finishing sixth in her debut in New York in 2022.

“With a year of marathon experience now under my belt, a win in Boston, and my move to the U.S., I’m coming to New York this year with more confidence and in search of a title,” Obiri said.

Another fast riser in the marathon has been Peres Jepchirchir.

The 30-year-old is the only athlete to win the Olympic, New York City, and Boston Marathon. The two-time world half-marathon gold medallist had been unbeaten since winning her debut in Boston last year, until Dutch runner Sifan Hassan defeated her in London last April.

“New York is an important step in defending my Olympic gold medal next summer in Paris,” she said of her return to New York after pulling out with injury last year.

Back-to-back London marathon winner and former world record holder Kosgei will also race for the first time in New York. Ethiopia's Tigst Assefa shelved more than two minutes off her old mark at the Berlin Marathon in September.

Kosgei pulled out of the last London marathon just four minutes into the race with a hamstring concern. She is now fully fit and keen to get back to winning ways. Her last victory came at the 2022 Tokyo Marathon.

And don't count out 2018 NCAA champion Lokedi who stunned the world with her eye-catching marathon debut last year. She is ready for more glory:

“This year, I’m returning with a different mindset, hungry to defend my title and race against the fastest women in the world.”

Kenya's 43-year-old veteran Edna Kiplagat, a two-time world champion, Boston, London, and New York City winner is also confirmed for the 5 November race.

Leading the Ethiopian women is 10,000m and half-marathon world record holder Letesenbet Gidey. She is also making her New York City debut after her 2022 victory in Valencia in 2:16:49, still the fastest women’s marathon debut in history. Last year’s London Marathon champ, Yalemzerf Yehualaw, will also race thr NYC marathon for the first time.

U.S. double Olympian Molly Huddle, third in 2016 and fourth in 2018, returns to New York as does Kelly Taylor, another top ten finisher in all her three past appearances. Taylor is the fastest of the local stars with a personal best of 2:24:29.

World champion Tamirat Tola and Olympic medallist Abdi Nageeye seek first New York City Marathon victories

Geremew is the fastest runer of the men's entries that also includes world champion Tamirat Tola and experienced New York City racer Shura Kitata (all Ethiopia), a two-time runner-up of the race.

Dutch’s Nageeye, third last year, will also be on the men’s starting line, looking for his second marathon win this year after triumphing in Rotterdam.

Edwin Cheserek, the most decorated athlete in NCAA history, should be an interesting debutant to keep an eye on.

He is one of the top Kenyans alongside Albert Korir, the 2021 winner.

Elkanah Kibet, who finished fourth behind Korir then and Futsum Zienasellaissie, the 2022 USATF Marathon winner, will lead the American charge.

Morocco's Zouahir Talbi, fifth at the 2023 Boston race and one position ahead of Kipchoge, hopes that a strong finish can bring him closer to his Olympic dream that eluded him as a track runner.

Susannah Scaroni et Marcel Hug dans la catégorie fauteuil roulant

This year’s wheelchair race has attracted eight former winners and at least 26 Paralympians. 2022 winners USA’s Susannah Scaroni and Marcel Hug are returning to New York.

It will not just be a race for the titles but for Paris 2024 Paralympic Marathon quotas as well. The race in New York will serve as the U.S. Paralympics Track & Field Marathon Selection Event for Paris, with the top two American finishers securing their slots.

12-time Paralympic medallist Hug is targeting a sixth men’s New York title after bettering the course record last year.

The schedule of events at the 2023 New York City Marathon

(All the timings are in ET, +4 GMT)

8:00 a.m. Professional Wheelchair Division

8:22 a.m. Handcycle Category and Select Athletes with Disabilities

8:40 a.m. Professional Women’s Open Division

9:05 a.m. Professional Men’s Open Division

9:10 a.m. Wave 1

9:45 a.m. Wave 2

10:20 a.m. Wave 3

10:55 a.m. Wave 4

11:30 a.m. Wave 5

How to watch the 2023 New York City Marathon

The race will be televised live on WABC-TV Channel 7 in the New York tri-state area.

Throughout the rest of the U.S. on ESPN2, and around the world by various international broadcasters.

Marathon fans can find the full list of international broadcasters here for their country.

Olympic Channel will also have coverage of the race on Olympics.com in selected territories.