Defending champ Karissa Schweizer, Olympic medalist Yared Nuguse headline 5th Ave Mile
Also 8,500 sold-out event includes inaugural Broadway Mile as well as specialty heats including Back to School Mile youth races, NYPD & FDNY Mile and Media Mile at the world’s most iconic and largest road Mile on Sunday, September 7; $34,000 prize purse to be awarded
From NYRR
NEW YORK – New York Road Runners (NYRR), the nonprofit that “runs” New York City producing 60 annual adult and youth races including the TCS New York City Marathon, has announced a star-studded professional athlete field for the 44th running of the New Balance 5th Avenue Mile, taking place Sunday, September 7.
Among the 8,500 athletes competing in the world’s most iconic road race down a 20-block stretch of Manhattan’s most famous thoroughfare will be 11 Olympians, including defending champion Karissa Schweizer, who tied the women’s event record in her debut, 4:14.8, (also Laura Muir, 2022).
“I had an amazing time racing my first-ever New Balance 5th Avenue Mile last year,” said Schweizer. “I came so close to beating the course record, so I’m excited to be coming back to take another crack at that record.”
Joining Schweizer in the women’s race will be several 800m specialists making their New York Road Runners race debuts, including Ajee’ Wilson, the 2022 World Indoor champion in the 800m, and Raevyn Rogers, the 2020 Olympic bronze medalist in the 800m. Additional American stars include 2020 Olympian Heather MacLean, who holds the U.S. indoor record for the 1500m; Valerie Constien, the two-time Olympian and 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials steeplechase champion; and Constien’s Paris 2024 Olympic Games teammates Courtney Wayment and Allie Wilson.
Leading the men’s field is Yared Nuguse, the 2024 Olympic bronze medalist in the 1500m and holder of the North American indoor and outdoor Mile records.
“I’m excited to be making my New Balance 5th Avenue Mile race debut to close out my 2025 season,” said Nuguse. “I’ll be drawing on the energy of the New York City crowds to get me down Fifth Avenue as quickly as possible and to come out on top.”
Nuguse will battle a deep and competitive field that includes fellow Americans and rising star Josh Hoey, last year’s runner-up who is returning to Fifth Avenue after a breakout 2025 season that saw him winning a gold medal in the 800m at the World Indoor Championships and setting U.S. indoor records in both the 800m and 1000m; Olympian Hobbs Kessler, the 2023 World Road Mile champion and 2024 World Indoor Championships 1500m bronze medalist; Evan Jager, the 2016 Olympic silver medalist, 2017 World bronze medalist, and U.S. record holder in the 3000m steeplechase; Cooper Teare, a two-time national champion in the 1500m; Luke Houser, a two-time NCAA indoor Mile champion and 2025 World Indoor bronze medalist in the 1500m; and Parker Wolfe, the 2024 NCAA champion over 5000m. Like Nuguse, Houser and Wolfe will be making their 5th Avenue Mile debuts.
FIRST-EVER BROADWAY MILE
In addition to the professional athlete and age-group heats, this year’s New Balance 5th Avenue Mile will feature the first-ever Broadway Mile, with nearly 100 theater professionals running for a cause, including Broadway stars such as Sierra Boggess, best known for originating the role of Ariel in “The Little Mermaid” on Broadway; Jordan Fisher, known for his roles in “Hamilton”, “Dear Evan Hansen” and “Hadestown”; Jeremy Jordan, a two-time Tony Award nominee known for his roles in “Newsies”, “The Great Gatsby” and “Floyd Collins”; Jordan Litz, who is currently starring as Fiyero in “Wicked”; Patina Miller, a Tony Award-winning actor known for her roles in “Pippin”, “Sister Act” and “Into the Woods”; and additional participants from shows like “The Book of Mormon,” “Cabaret”, “Little Shop of Horrors”, “Mamma Mia!”, “Maybe Happy Ending” and more.
For the Broadway Mile, New York Road Runners has teamed up with Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS and The Broadway League to host a friendly competition among Broadway performers, producers, stage managers, music directors and stagehands. The Broadway athletes will have the option to fundraise for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, the philanthropic heart of Broadway. Donations help provide lifesaving essential care to members of the theater community and others in need across the country.
ADDITIONAL SPECIALTY HEATS
Other New Balance 5th Avenue Mile specialty heats will include the Back to School Mile—one of more than 20 free Rising New York Road Runners youth events produced by the nonprofit each year—for kids ages 2 to 18 to start the school year strong, the George Sheehan Memorial Mile for older adults, the NYRR Road Mile Championship races, an NYPD and FDNY heat for service members, the Media Mile for journalists, and the NYRR Unlock 26.2 x New Balance heat for participants of the dedicated TCS New York City Marathon training program.
HOW TO WATCH
The New Balance 5th Avenue Mile will be televised live on WABC-TV, Channel 7 in the New York Tri-State area from noon to 1:00pm ET, and available for streaming nationally on ESPN+. New this year, iHeartRadio will provide live race-day radio coverage on 710 WOR AM and 104.3HD2 in New York, as well as on the iHeartRadio app, from noon to 1:00pm ET. For the first time, a live camera feed of the finish line will be available to stream on the NYRR App.
Participants, spectators, and supporters can also use the NYRR App, available for download on the Apple App Store and Google Play, to stay conveniently connected with runner tracking and leaderboards, race-day information & alerts and course maps.
