September 8: Nick Willis, Edward Cheserek, Jenny Simpson, Nikki Hiltz Lead Fields For New Balance 5th Avenue Mile

Nick Willis to chase record-breaking fifth men’s title at world’s most iconic road mile, which will be broadcast live on NBC beginning at 12:30 p.m. ET                                                                                               

New York City Marathon champion and Olympic medalist Meb Keflezighi to participate in Back to School Mile with NYC Department of Education teachers and staff to mark NYRR’s 20th anniversary of free youth running programs

NYRR Press Release
August, 20, 2019

New York – Olympic medalist Jenny Simpson will race for her record-extending eighth title and two-time Olympic medalist Nick Willis will chase his record-breaking fifth men’s title at the New Balance 5th Avenue Mile on Sunday, September 8, as they lead a professional athlete field that includes several runners competing in the IAAF World Championships later this fall.

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The event stretches 20 blocks down Manhattan’s most famous thoroughfare and is expected to draw nearly 8,000 runners across 24 heats. It includes specialty heats for youth and seniors, with the professional athlete races rounding out the day. In partnership with New York Road Runners and USA Track & Field, NBC will broadcast the professional athlete races live on NBC at 12:30 p.m. ET.

In 2019, NYRR is celebrating 20 years of providing free youth running programs, which now serve 250,000 kids around the country. To mark the occasion, the event’s first Back to School Mile will be added to the schedule of heats. It will run shortly before the professional athlete races and is free and open to New York City’s Department of Education teachers and staff. Leading the way in the Back to School Mile will be NYRR Team for Kids Ambassador Meb Keflezighi, the only person ever to win the New York City Marathon, Boston Marathon and an Olympic Marathon medal.

“The New Balance 5th Avenue Mile is such an iconic road race that allows people of all ages and abilities to participate in the event on one of the most famous streets in New York City,” said Michael Capiraso, president and CEO of New York Road Runners. “This year will be incredibly special, as we celebrate 20 years of NYRR’s free youth programming with a special Back to School Mile that features the city’s Department of Education teachers and staff running alongside Meb, a legend in the sport.”

In the professional women’s race, Simpson, who serves as an ambassador and special advisor to NYRR’s youth programs, owns the event-record time of 4:16.6 on Fifth Avenue, which she set when winning the race in 2017. She has earned three IAAF World Championships medals in the metric mile, beginning with a gold at the 2011 World Championships. She followed that with a silver in both 2013 and 2017. In 2016, she took bronze in the 1500 meters at the Rio Olympics, making her the first American woman in history to reach the podium in that event.

“I’ve had the New Balance 5th Avenue Mile circled on my calendar since last year’s race,” Simpson said. Every year I look forward to running down Fifth Avenue, and this year I’m excited to race for a record-extending eighth title at the event and celebrate New York Road Runners’ 20th anniversary of free youth programming as the next generation of runners head back to school.” 

Simpson will be challenged in the professional women’s race by Nikki Hiltz, who just won gold over 1500 meters at the Pan American Games and has been America’s best road miler in 2019 with wins at the BAA Mile, Adidas Boost Games Mile, and the USATF Road Mile Championships. Allie Ostrander, a three-time NCAA champion in the steeplechase who qualified for her first World Championships this fall, will join them as she lines up for her first road race as a professional athlete. Elinor Purrier, who also qualified for her first World Championships this year, will look to contend as well. Canada’s 2019 national champion Genevieve Lalonde and Olympian Jessica O’Connell, and Great Britain’s Jessica Judd, will lead the international contingent.

Leading the professional men’s field will be Willis, a four-time New Balance 5th Avenue Mile champion and two-time Olympic medalist who finished second last year. Willis, who won the event in 2008, 2013, 2015, and 2017, is tied with Spain’s Isaac Viciosa for the most career victories in the men’s race. Challenging him as he goes for a record-breaking fifth title will be Great Britain’s two-time New Balance 5th Avenue Mile runner-up Chris O’Hareand road 5K world record-holder Edward Cheserek, who is the most decorated athlete in NCAA history with 17 titles at the University of Oregon. Also joining them at the start line will be Johnny Gregorek, who is fresh off a silver medal at the Pan American Games and the world’s fourth-fastest miler this year.

Professional Athlete Field – Men 

Name Country Mile PR Twitter
Pat Casey USA 3:52.62 Patkc13
Edward Cheserek KEN 3:49.44i KINGCHEZZ
Graham Crawford USA 3:56.05
Robert Domanic USA 3:54.73 robertdomanic
Mason Ferlic USA 4:00.31i MasonFerlic
Johnny Gregorek USA 3:49.98i JohnnyGregorek
Tripp Hurt USA 3:56.02 TrippFallHurt
Jordan Mann USA 3:58.94i Jmango_run
Riley Masters USA 3:56.15i Riley_masters
Morgan McDonald AUS 3:55.79 mrgnmcdnld
Rob Napolitano USA 3:54.28i
Chris O’Hare GBR 3:52.91i Chrisohare1500
Julian Oakley NZL 3:55.10i Julian_oakley
Sam Parsons GER 3:59.70 par_sam_sons
Will Paulson USA 3:58.07i WillPaulson1500
Sam Prakel USA 3:50.94i Sprakel10
David Ribich USA 3:57.83 dmribich
Nick Willis NZL 3:49.83 nickwillis
Henry Wynne USA 3:51.26i Hwynning
Izaic Yorks USA 3:53.40i IzaicY

Professional Athlete Field – Women

Name Country Mile PR Twitter
Katrina Coogan USA 4:32.06 katrina_coogan
Lianne Farber USA 4:33.49 LiFarber92
Eleanor Fulton USA 4:30.34
Dana Giordano USA 4:34.04 dana_gio6
Therese Haiss USA 4:34.54i therese_haiss
Nikki Hiltz USA 4:31.42i Nikki_Hiltz
Lauren Johnson USA 4:25.04 JohnsonRunning
Jessica Judd GBR 4:28.59
Mariah Kelly CAN 4:35.00i mariahkkelly11
Genevieve Lalonde CAN 4:38.94i lalongen
Emily Lipari USA 4:28.62
Heather MacLean USA 4:29.74i Heathair31
Megan Mansy USA 4:32.01
Cory McGee USA 4:26.79i CoryMcGeeRuns
Rebecca Mehra USA 4:33.42 rebecca_mehra
Amy-Eloise Neale GBR 4:33.25
Jessica O’Connell CAN 4:30.75 jess_oconnell
Allie Ostrander USA 4:35.79i allie_ostrander
Angel Piccirillo USA 4:32.57 angelp_1010
Elinor Purrier USA 4:24.88i
Helen Schlachtenhaufen USA 4:27.09
Heidi See AUS 4:31.74 HeidiSee
Jenny Simpson USA 4:17.30 trackjenny

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