Eleven Olympians Headline NYRR Dash To The Finish Line 5-K
By Chris Lotsbom, @ChrisLotsbom
(c) 2013 Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved
October 16, 2013
Moments ago, 11 Olympians were announced by the New York Road Runners as participating in November 2nd’s NYRR Dash to the Finish Line 5-K in New York City. The event, held in Manhattan the day before the ING New York City Marathon, will see Olympic medalists Shalane Flanagan, Sally Kipyego, and Nick Willis competing on the point-to-point course from the United Nations to Central Park.
As detailed by race organizers, the race will bring together an unprecedented field: 11 London Olympians, three Olympic medalists, 13 women with 5000m personal bests under 15:30, 16 men with personal bests under 13:30, 12 current and former USA Champions, and 18 former NCAA Champions.
While Kipyego, a 2012 Olympic silver medalist over 10,000m, and Willis, the 2008 1500m silver medalist, highlight the international runners entered, the American contingent is well stocked. Flanagan –second at the 2010 ING New York City Marathon– will join Nike teammates Evan Jager, Ryan Hill, Lopez Lomong, Chris Derrick, German Fernandez, Chris Solinsky, and Emily Infeld on the starting line. Infeld finished second at the Tufts Health Plan 10-K for Women two days ago in 31:47, the fastest road 10-K by an American this year.
Among other notable entrants on the women’s side are American 5000m record holder Molly Huddle, Olympians Kim Conley and Lisa Uhl, and NCAA 10,000m champion Betsy Saina of Kenya, who recently turned pro.
For the men, Willis is coming off of a fast Fifth Avenue Mile performance on Sept. 22 (3:52.1), where he bested the likes of Bernard Lagat and Garrett Heath. Heath returns to New York along with brother Elliott and Fifth Avenue Mile fifth and sixth place finishers, Will Leer and David Torrence. Ben True, who timed 13:11.59 for a 5000m personal best on the track this year, is competing, as is NY*NJ Track Club member and 2012 Olympian Donn Cabral. True’s training partner Sam Chelanga is also in the field.
Returning after a one year hiatus due to Super Storm Sandy, the NYRR Dash to the Finish Line begins adjacent to the United Nations, takes runners west along 42nd Street, before turning north on Avenue of the Americas to finish at the ING New York City Marathon in Central Park. The course records are 13:53 by Chris Thompson of Great Britain and 15:56 by Sara Hall of Redding, Calif.