Olympians to Close Out Historic Seasons with New York Road Runners at New Balance 5th Avenue Mile

The New Balance 5th Avenue Mile is one of my favorite events on the athletics calendar. It will also be much easier to watch from now on with the ESPN/ABC TV deal with the NYRR. 

Olympians to Close Out Historic Seasons with New York Road Runners at New Balance 5th Avenue Mile

Josh Kerr and Emma Coburn to headline professional athlete races

Race to be covered by ABC7/WABC-TV and ESPN+ for the first time

New York, September 3, 2024 – Nonprofit New York Road Runners will draw 20 Paris Olympians to Manhattan’s most famous thoroughfare Sunday to close out their historic seasons at the New Balance 5th Avenue Mile.

The New Balance 5th Avenue Mile – the world’s most iconic road mile race since 1981 – is one of 60 adult and youth races produced by NYRR, showcasing the transformative power of running for people of all ages and abilities, whether they are running their first mile or racing for a personal best.

The professional athlete field will be headlined by defending champion, British Olympic silver medalist, and world champion Josh Kerr, and U.S. Olympic medalist and world champion Emma Coburn.

Kerr will aim to defend his New Balance 5th Avenue Mile title after winning last year’s race in 3:47.9, the third-fastest time in event history and fastest since 1995. He won a world title in the 1,500 meters in 2023 and an Olympic silver medal in the distance in Paris this summer.

“I’ve got a couple of ideas to try to win this one again,” Kerr said. “I’ll be working on that, and I think I’m going to have a blast. It will be one to watch.”

Seven other Paris Olympians will feature in the men’s field alongside Kerr: Germany’s Robert Farken, Great Britain’s Neil Gourley, Kenya’s Edwin Kurgat, Ireland’s Cathal Doyle, and the United States’ Bryce Hoppel, Hobbs Kessler and Matthew Wilkinson.

In the women’s race, four-time top-10 finisher Coburn will return to competition after missing the U.S. Olympic Trials and Paris Olympics with a broken ankle. Coburn has represented the U.S. in three Olympics, winning bronze in the steeplechase at the Rio 2016, and gold and silver in the event at the 2017 and 2019 world championships, respectively. She is also a 10-time national champion.

“As I make my way back from injury, I can’t think of a better event to make my comeback than returning to run the New Balance 5th Avenue Mile,” Coburn said. “I’ve been training hard since my surgery, and lining up with this world-class group of athletes on this iconic course will feel so good.”

She will be joined at the start line by a five Americans who represented the U.S. at the Paris Olympics this summer: Marisa Howard, Emily Mackay, Whittni Morgan, Karissa Schweizer, and Courtney Wayment. Additional Olympians racing will be Kenya’s Susan Ejore, Mexico’s Laura Galvan, Spain’s Esther Guerrero, Ireland’s Sarah Healey, Germany’s Lea Meyer and Nele Wessel, and Australia’s Lauren Ryan.

In addition to professional athlete and age-group heats, this year’s New Balance 5th Avenue Mile will feature Back to School Mile heats for youth, a George Sheehan Memorial Mile for seniors, an NYPD and FDNY heat for service members, and NYRR Road Mile Championship races. New this year, runners who are part of the NYRR Unlock 26.2 x New Balance training program for the TCS New York City Marathon will have their own heat.

The New Balance 5th Avenue Mile will be televised live on WABC-TV, Channel 7 in the New York tristate area from 12:00 to 1:00 p.m. ET and available for streaming across the rest of the nation on ESPN+. Coverage includes features, interviews, and uninterrupted coverage of the professional heats with commentary from Olympians Carrie Tollefson and Alysia Montaño, ABC New York Sports Anchors Ryan Field and Sam Ryan, and Ali on the Run Show Host Ali Feller.

Men’s Professional Athlete Field

i = indoors; NR = National Record; Bold = Paris 2024 Olympian

Women’s Professional Athlete Field

i = indoors; NR = National Record; Bold = Paris 2024 Olympian

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About New York Road Runners (NYRR)

A New York City-based nonprofit, New York Road Runners’ vision is to build healthier lives and stronger communities through the transformative power of running – serving nearly a half a million New Yorkers annually through its free community events, youth running initiatives, and school-based programs across the five boroughs. During its nearly 70 years, New York Road Runners has grown from a local running club to the world’s premier community running organization, producing more than 60 adult and youth races each year, including the TCS New York City Marathon. Held the first Sunday each November, the TCS New York City Marathon features more than 50,000 runners—from the world’s best professional athletes to a vast range of runners across experience levels, ages, genders, abilities, and backgrounds. To learn more, visit www.nyrr.org.