Community Corner
Runners Zip Through Prospect And Central Park For NYC Half Marathon
Setting records on the 13.1-mile route, some 25,000 runners made their way through Brooklyn and Manhattan Sunday for a half marathon.
PROSPECT HEIGHTS, NY — Nearly 25,000 runners flooded the streets of New York City over the weekend for the New York City Half Marathon, taking on a massive trek through Brooklyn and Manhattan and setting records en route.
The 13.1-mile run, which started in Prospect Park and ended in Central Park, kicked off Sunday at 7 a.m. and included wheelchair, men's and women's open divisions and a kids run in Times Square.
While other competitors came close, only women's open leader Hellen Obiri broke an event record with her 1:07:21 run. on Sunday, which is 14 seconds faster than Olympian Senbere Teferi's record-breaking run last year, according to New York Road Runners. Teferi took second place in this year's race.
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Obiri said the track was difficult, especially given it was her first half-marathon in the country.
“It’s my first half marathon in the U.S. It was very windy, so I tried to push myself, but after 15K I thought maybe I can make a move and I tried to go, and push the pace. I’m happy to have won this race today,” Obiri said in a statement.
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In the women's wheelchair division, two-time Paralympic medalist Olympian Susannah Scaroni raced with the fifth-fastest time in event history with a 55:47 race time, according to the New York Road Runners. It was her third consecutive win at a Road Runners race following wins at the 2022 New York City Marathon and New York Mini 10K.
Jetze Plat also competed with the fifth-fastest time in the men's wheelchair division history — and with a lead of 4:39 over the next fastest competitor.
New York's youngest runners also took part in Sundays fanfare. Some 1,000 kids took over Times Square for a 1,500 meter dash for runners age 8 to 18 from a youth physical activity program called Rising New York Road Runners. The program includes almost 50,000 young runners in New York City.
World-record holder Jacob Kiplimo took first place in the men's open division with a 1:01:31 race time, beating out Olympic champion Joshua Cheptegei.
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