New Delhi: New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani swapped his usual role for that of a marathon volunteer on Sunday, handing out water to runners and cheering them on from the streets.
For the 2026 edition of the New York City Marathon, Mamdani was not among the runners. Instead, he joined volunteers along the route, greeting participants as they made their way through the city.
Sporting a green vest over his rolled-up suit sleeves, the mayor handed out cups of water to sweaty runners and cheered them on.
The runners, meanwhile, were greeted by an unexpected sight: their mayor urging them forward, one cup of water at a time.
‘Faster government on my head’
New York City hosts one of the world’s largest marathons every year, drawing tens of thousands of runners. The 2026 edition marked the 50th anniversary of the race. The route took participants through Staten Island, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx and Manhattan before finishing in Central Park.
Nearly 60,000 people took part in the marathon this year.
On 1 November, Mamdani was stationed near the 13-mile mark in Long Island City, where he handed out water and high-fived runners.
Mamdani has participated in the marathon before, running in 2022 and 2024. Last year, he wore a T-shirt drawing attention to the city’s housing and rent crisis.
This time, although he did not run, he sported a black cap bearing the words, “Faster government on my head”.
Mamdani’s marathon moment wins fans online
Mamdani’s efforts drew attention on the streets as well as online, with videos of him cheering runners circulating on social media.
One user on X called him the “Best mayor ever”.
Another user, @WuTangKids, pointed to the contrast between the mayor’s actions and the criticism he had faced during the election campaign, including claims that he would introduce Sharia law in New York City.
“Dude is out there at the marathon handing out water and when runners realize amazing things happen … .how can you hate this guy”, the user wrote.
(Edited By Raunaq Lekhi)