World Championships Silver Medalists Nick Symmonds and Jenny Simpson Lead Fields for NYRR Fifth Avenue Mile Presented by Nissan on Sunday, September 22

Men’s and women’s fields will also include Olympians Bernard Lagat, Leo Manzano, Evan Jager, Shannon Rowbury, and Morgan Uceny

NYRR Press Release
September 12, 2013

New York—More than 15 Olympians and World Championships contestants will  compete at the NYRR Fifth Avenue Mile Presented by Nissan on Sunday, September 22, it was announced today by New York Road Runners president and CEO Mary Wittenberg. World Championships silver medalists Nick Symmonds and Jenny Simpson will headline the men’s and women’s fields, respectively. Other Olympians scheduled to race in the 33rd edition of America’s most famous road mile include Bernard Lagat, Leo Manzano, Evan Jager, Shannon Rowbury, and Morgan Uceny.

Additional world-class entrants from around the globe, and some of their accomplishments, are listed below.

Athlete Backgrounds and Notable Performances

• ·         Symmonds, 29, of Eugene, OR, is the 2013 World Championships 800-meter silver medalist and a five-time USA 800-meter champion. He ran a personal-best 1500 meters of 3:34.55 this year.
• ·         Simpson, 27, of Boulder, CO, won the 2011 Fifth Avenue Mile. She won the 2011 World Championships 1500 meters in Daegu, South Korea, and followed that up with the silver in the Moscow World Championships last month. She is a seven-time USA champion and holds the American record in the 3000-meter steeplechase.
• ·         Lagat, 38, of Tucson, AZ, is no stranger to the NYRR Fifth Avenue Mile, having finished fourth in 2009, second in 2008, 2010, and 2012, and first in 2011. He is a five-time world champion and two-time Olympic medalist. At the 2013 Millrose Games, Lagat secured his seventh national record when he won the two-mile in 8:09.49.
• ·         Manzano, 29, of Austin, TX, is a two-time Olympian and the 2012 silver medalist at 1500 meters. He placed third in last year’s Fifth Avenue Mile behind Matthew Centrowitz and Lagat, clocking 3:53.1.
• ·         Evan Jager, 24, of Portland, OR, is the American record-holder in the 3000-meter steeplechase. He was sixth in that event at the London Olympics and fifth at the World Championships last month.
• ·         Nick Willis, 30, of New Zealand was the 2008 Olympic silver medalist and the 2008 Fifth Avenue Mile champion.
• ·         Rowbury, 29, of San Francisco, CA, is a two-time winner of the Fifth Avenue Mile (2009 and 2010) and placed fifth last year. She is a 2009 World Championships bronze medalist and a two-time Olympian.
• ·         Morgan Uceny, 28, of Plymouth, IN, is a 2012 Olympian and was the world’s top-ranked 1500-meter runner in 2011.
• ·         Lopez Lomong, 28, of Beaverton, OR, is a two-time Olympian, the USA indoor 5000-meter record-holder, and the 2013 NYRR Wannamaker Mile Champion. This will be his Fifth Avenue Mile debut.
• ·         Ryan Hill, 23, of Raleigh, NC, is a 2013 World Championships team member at 5000 meters.
• ·         Daniel Huling, 30, of Portland, OR, is a 2013 World Championships team member at the 3000-meter steeplechase.
• ·         Garrett Heath, 27, of Palo Alto, CA is the 2013 USA Road Mile champion.
• ·         Will Leer, 28, of Marina del Ray, CA, is the 2013 USA indoor mile and 3000-meter champion.
• ·         David Torrence, 27, of Oakland, CA, is a three-time USA champion and ran a 1500-meter personal-best of 3:33.23 earlier this month.
• ·         Gabriele Anderson, 27, of Minneapolis, MN, is the third-ranked U.S. 1500-meter runner of 2013.
• ·         Zoe Buckman, 24, of Australia finished seventh at 1500 meters in the 2013 World Championships.
• ·         Hannah England, 26, of Great Britain was the 2011 World Championships silver medalist and finished third in last year’s Fifth Avenue Mile.
• ·         Susan Kuijken, 27, of the Netherlands finished eighth  in the 2013 World Championships 5000 meters.
• ·         Chelsea Reilly, 24, of Oakland, CA is the 2013 USA Indoor 3000-meter champion

Quotes

Nick Symmonds

“I’m extremely excited to be returning to the Fifth Avenue Mile this year. I’ll be bringing with me a new personal best in the 1500 meters and am sure to need my new-found strength to compete with the incredible field assembled here. As is always the case, the Fifth Avenue Mile is a perfect way to finish off a long season. The fun, energetic atmosphere of the event, combined with the amazing cultural opportunities to be had in New York, make it a must-run race for me!”

Jenny Simpson

“I can’t wait to return to New York City to once again wrap up my season at the Fifth Avenue Mile. I’m returning to the U.S. after the summer circuit and World Championships, and Fifth Avenue will be both one last chance to compete and a celebration of what has already been one of the best seasons of my career. New York Road Runners has created such a special event—it’s a favorite among American middle-distance runners!”                  

Mary Wittenberg

“The Fifth Avenue Mile is an event that invites thousands of spectators to fill an incredibly exciting and spirited stretch of the City to see athletes of all ages and abilities compete for their coveted fastest mile times. We are excited to once again have our professional athlete fields, inspirational runners like our very own Jenny Simpson, Nick Symmonds, and Bernard Lagat, take off before our Children’s Race, then line the finish, cheering on our runners of the future.”