Five-time Olympian Bernard Lagat and Olympic medallist and American record holder Deena Kastor will join fellow Olympian Carrie Tollefson as part of the broadcast team for the 50th running of the TCS New York City Marathon on Sunday, November 7.
The broadcast will be aired live on ABC7/WABC-TV in the New York City area and on ESPN2 nationwide across the USA.
WABC-TV and ESPN have been home to the award-winning broadcast of ‘the world’s largest marathon’ since 2013. The race will be available globally in more than 180 countries and territories and in over 500 million homes through various international broadcast partners.
The trio of Olympians will join a team of 15 commentators, led by ESPN’s John Anderson, who will serve as race-day host and play-by-play analyst for his eight consecutive race.
Both Lagat and Tollefson will join Anderson in the commentary booth. Kastor will join Lewis Johnson in covering the professional athlete races throughout the course from the women’s and men’s motos, respectively. Johnson will then join ABC7’s Sam Ryan in hosting the post-race award ceremonies for the champions.
Bernard Lagat competed at every summer Olympics on the track from 2000 to 2016, winning a silver and bronze medal in the 1,500m in 2004 and 2000, respectively. He ran the TCS New York City Marathon in 2018, finishing as the top men’s masters athlete. He will now make his broadcast debut at the event at the same time his sister, Viola Cheptoo, makes her marathon debut in the professional athlete field.
“In 2008, I got to watch the TCS New York City Marathon from a lead vehicle, and in 2018 I ran New York for my debut marathon,” Lagat said. “I’m excited that in 2021, I get to see the race unfold from yet another angle – in the broadcast booth. I hope my experiences as an athlete can add a different perspective to the race for those watching throughout New York City and across the country.”
Deena Kastor is the American record holder in the marathon and a three-time Olympian who won a bronze medal at the Athens 2004 Games. She finished as the top American woman in her marathon debut at the 2001 New York City Marathon in an American debut record time, and had three top-10 finishes at the event in her career.
“Twenty years ago, I fell in love with the marathon distance when I debuted at the New York City Marathon,” Kastor said. “I feel privileged to commentate on this historic race by joining the ESPN2 broadcast with my fellow Olympians Bernard Lagat and Carrie Tollefson. I can’t imagine a better way to celebrate 50 years of this race.”
The group will be joined by an array of reporters at the start, finish, along the course, and in the sky, including ABC7’s Eyewitness News reporters Ryan Field, Anthony Johnson, Kemberly Richardson, Michelle Charlesworth, Lee Goldberg, John Del Giorno, and Josh Einiger.
The international feed will be led by local sports radio personality Ed Cohen calling the play-by-play, and veteran track and field broadcaster, Paul Swangard.
The broadcast, produced in coordination with 45 Live and distributed by IMG, will air on ABC7/WABC-TV and ESPN2 from 08:30 to 11:30 EST. Pre and post-race coverage will air on WABC-TV from 07:00 to 08:30 EST, and 11:30 to 13:30 EST.
Long-time director of the broadcast Bruce Treut, who has directed every New York City Marathon broadcast since 1989, is handing the reins to Brigette Boginis. Boginis, the first woman at the helm of the show, will pick up Treut’s duties directing 35 live cameras.
The 50th running of the race will also stream live on abc7ny.com, and the ABC7New York app in the tristate viewing area and the ESPN App nationally from 08:30 to 13:00. EST. Pre-race and continuing coverage will also be streamed live nationally on ESPN3 (accessible on the ESPN App and ESPN.com) from 07:00 to 08:30 and from 11:30 to 13:00.
A two-hour encore presentation of the race broadcast will air on ABC affiliates around the US from 16:00 to 18:00 EST and on ESPN2 from 20:00 to 22:00 EST.
International broadcast partners secured by IMG for the race include: ESPN Brasil (Brazil), SMG Sports (China), Eurosport (Pan Europe, Pan Asia, India), L’Equipe (France), RAI (Italy), TV Asahi (Japan), Sky Mexico (Mexico), NOS (Netherlands), New Zealand (Sky), SuperSport (South Africa), ESPN International (South America), and TVE & Esports3 (Spain).
- Friday, November 5: TCS New York City Marathon Opening Ceremony, 17:30 – 18:00 EST
- Saturday, November 6: Countdown to the Starting Line, 23:35 – 00:05 EST
Sunday, November 7 – Race Day
- Eyewitness News Marathon Sunday, 07:00 – 08:30 EST
- Find Your Finisher, 10:30 – 18:00 EST
- Highlight Show, 16:00 – 18:00 EST; and 20:00 – 22:00 EST on ESPN2
- Final Finishers, 20:00 – 22:00 EST
