To close out their seasons, 15 Tokyo Olympians, three Olympic medallists, and two past event champions will race down Manhattan’s iconic thoroughfare in the professional athlete heats at the New Balance 5th Avenue Mile. The event in New York takes place on Sunday, September 12.
The 40th running of the New Balance 5th Avenue Mile – billed as ‘the world’s most iconic road mile race since 1981’ – stretches 20 blocks along the east side of Central Park.
In addition to age-group heats, there will be an NYPD/FDNY heat taking place to mark the 20th anniversary weekend of 9/11. There will also be a Back to School Mile for youth aged 12-18, a George Sheehan Memorial Mile for seniors and NYRR Road Mile Championship heats.
“The New Balance 5th Avenue Mile is an iconic race which invites people of all ages and abilities to run down one of the most famous streets in New York City,” said Ted Metellus, Vice President of Events at NYRR, and Race Director of the TCS New York City Marathon.
“This year will be incredibly exciting with a number of Olympians joining us after their top performances in Tokyo, and we are looking forward to showcasing the city’s resiliency and honouring the work of those participating in the FDNY/NYPD heat to mark 20 years since 9/11.”
The NYRR Road Mile Championships and professional athlete races will be live streamed on USATF.TV free, beginning at 11:35 ET, with a webcast replay for on-demand-viewing available on USATF.TV+.
Leading the way in the professional men’s race will be three-time US Olympian Matthew Centrowitz who won Rio 2016 Olympic gold in the 1,500m and the 5th Avenue Mile in 2012. Two-time US Olympian Paul Chelimo, who won bronze in Tokyo and silver in Rio in the 5,000m, will also be on the start line.
“I’m excited to return to New York for my sixth race down 5th Avenue, a race I first won nine years ago,” Centrowitz said. “Heading back East and ending my season there is like a great end-of-summer tradition, and I’m looking to show the rest of the guys I’ve still got a step or two left in 2021.”
Challenging them will be two-time US Olympian and 2016 Olympic bronze medallist in the 800m Clayton Murphy; Olympian and 2018 event champion Jake Wightman: and Olympian and European Indoor Championships gold medallist Adel Mechaal.
A trio of other Americans to watch will be Tokyo Olympians Joe Klecker, Mason Ferlic and Hilary Bor, with Ferlic racing the event for the third time and Klecker and Bor making their debuts in the event after competing in Tokyo earlier this year.
The professional women’s race will see a first-time winner, with top contenders including USATF Road Mile Championships runner-up Shannon Osika; British indoor record-holder and Olympian Jemma Reekie; and European Indoor Championships gold medallist Amy-Eloise Markovc.
