NEW YORK (March 16) – Equal prize money led the headlines at Sunday’s United Airlines NYC Half, where Kenya’s Hellen Obiri and South Africa’s Adriaan Wildschutt each earned the top payout of $20,000 after winning their respective divisions in one of the United States’ premier spring road races.
The New York Road Runners (NYRR) confirmed that prize money totals for the open division were identical for men and women, with payouts extending through 12th place. Runners had to finish within 1 hour, 30 minutes to qualify for awards, while additional eligibility rules applied for NYRR members and non-binary divisions.
Read more: 2026 United Airlines NYC Half Pro Race results: Hellen Obiri and Adriaan Wildschutt win
How Much is The 2026 United Airlines NYC Half Prize Money?
The open division prize breakdown was as follows:
1st – $20,000
2nd – $10,000
3rd – $5,500
4th – $3,500
5th – $2,000
6th – $1,500
7th – $1,000
8th – $500
9th – $350
10th – $300
11th – $200
12th – $150
In the NYRR Member Division, which included men’s, women’s, and non-binary categories, prizes followed equal scales and were awarded under the same 12-place structure. Members were required to have registered with NYRR by December 15, 2025, with professional athletes’ standings determined by gun time and mass-start categories measured by net time.
Obiri, the reigning New York City Marathon champion and double World Marathon Majors winner, delivered a decisive victory in 1:06:33, slicing more than half a minute off the women’s course record. Sharon Lokedi, who had set the previous mark of 1:07:04 last year, finished second in 1:07:10, ahead of Britain’s Megan Keith (1:07:13).
Wildschutt clinched the men’s race in 59:30, breaking clear of Zouhair Talbi of the United States, who finished in 59:41, and India’s Gulveer Singh, one second behind.
Prize payouts matched their female counterparts, rounding out the balanced structure NYRR introduced in recent editions to enhance competitive equity across divisions.
The race, designated a World Athletics Label event, started in Brooklyn, traversed Times Square, and concluded in Central Park before a crowd of thousands. More than 25,000 runners participated, continuing New York’s tradition as one of the city’s largest annual sporting spectacles.
Obiri’s performance adds to her growing dominance in New York road running. The 36-year-old now holds three major wins in as many years, including NYC Marathon victories in 2023 and 2025.
Results at a Glance
Women
- Hellen Obiri (Kenya) – 1:06:33
- Sharon Lokedi (Kenya) – 1:07:10
- Megan Keith (Britain) – 1:07:13
Men
- Adriaan Wildschutt (South Africa) – 59:30
- Zouhair Talbi (United States) – 59:41
- Gulveer Singh (India) – 59:42
