Weini Kelati Predicts Sub-2:22 in Her Marathon Debut

Weini Kelati is making her marathon debut at the 2026 TCS New York City Marathon. No American woman has made the New York podium in eight years. At the pre-race athlete availability, Jessy Carveth asked her why now is the right time to step up, whether she thinks about that podium drought, and how Emma Grace Hurley’s record-breaking American debut shapes what she believes is possible.

Then it’s the lightning round: race shoes, fueling at 90g of carbs an hour, her race-day mantra, her favourite runners (from Usain Bolt to Eliud Kipchoge), a Harry Styles hypothetical, toenail count, the trash talk she won’t repeat, her finishing time prediction, her Kalshi odds, and her view on lifetime bans for doping.

Can Kelati crack the podium on debut? Drop your prediction in the comments 👇

⏱️ CHAPTERS
0:00 Why Weini Kelati is moving up to the marathon now
0:33 No American woman on the NYC podium in 8 years
0:48 Emma Grace Hurley’s debut and what’s possible
1:26 Lightning round: race shoes
1:32 Marathon fueling: 90g carbs an hour
1:51 Her mantra: “It’s just the mind”
2:22 Favourite runner: Bolt, Melissa Jefferson, Kipchoge
2:42 Harry Styles vs. winning NYC
3:21 How many healthy toenails?
3:33 Trash talk mid-race (and the word she won’t say)
4:00 Who she doesn’t want next to her at mile 25
4:15 Finishing time prediction: sub-2:22
4:33 Kalshi gives her 10% to win: too low?
4:47 How much would she bet on herself?
5:00 EPO and doping: should it be a lifetime ban?
5:23 Good luck on Sunday