by Perri Williams
This Sunday the New Balance 5th Avenue Mile will be held in New York City starting at the famous Metropolitan Museum of Art and continuing 20 blocks down Fifth Avenue to finish at Grand Army Plaza. One of the world’s most iconic road races, featuring 10,000 participants, will attract twenty Olympians including the 2023 winner and Olympic silver medalist Josh Kerr (GB). Kerr won the 2023 race in a time of 3:47.9, which was the third fastest time in the history of the event and the fastest for almost three decades.
In total there will be eight Olympians in the men’s race; Josh Kerr and Neil Gourley (GB), Robert Farkin (Germany), Cathal Doyle (Ireland), Edwin Kurgat (Keyna) and three USA Olympians; Bryce Hoppel, Hobbs Kessler and Matthew Wilkinson. The two British athletes are the fastest in the field with Kerr having a two second advantage over Gourley in the mile; Kerr’s 3:45.34 a national record which he set in May at Hayward Field in Oregon.
Emma Coburn (USA) the ten times US National Steeplechase champion will line up in the ladies race. Coburn, who missed this year due to an injury has a wealth of experience and accolades to her name, including World Championship gold (2017) silver (2019) and Olympic bronze in 2016.
Coburn is no stranger to the 5th avenue mile. She has been a top ten finisher on four occasions. The three-time Olympian will be keen to create an impact for the 2024 season, having missed the entire season with a broken ankle she sustained during her seasons opener at the Diamond League meet in Shanghai earlier this year. Joining Coburn will be twelve other Olympians including five Paris Olympians from the USA; Marisa Howard, Emily Mackay, Whittni Morgan, Karissa Schweizer, and Courtney Wayment. The seven other Olympians include; Susan Ejore (Kenya), Laura Galvan (Mexico), Esther Guerrero (Spain), Lea Meyer and Nele Wessel (Germany), Lauren Ryan (Australia) and Sarah Healy (Ireland). The ladies race will be much more open. The fastest 1500m in the field is Emily Mackay (USA) with 3.55.59 followed by Susan Ejore and Sarah Healy. However, it is Melissa Courtney-Bryant (GB) that has the fastest mile time of 4:16.38 from Monaco in 2023.
Irish eyes will of course be focused on Cathal Doyle (Clonliffe) who made the Olympic 1500m semi-finals and Sarah Healy (UCD) the 2023 u23 European silver medallist and World Indoor 1500m finalist. Healy was runner-up to Jemma Reekie (GB) in the 2023 edition of this race will be up in the mix for a podium finish. This is Cathal Doyle’s first time racing this event. Doyle, a tactical racer, will be hoping to improve his personal best and keep as close to the top three as possible. He comes into the race as the fourth fastest man over one mile.
Irish athletes had a strong presence in the race in the early years. The race began in 1981 featuring a very strong field of iconic elite runners; Sydney Maree (South Africa/USA), Steve Scott (USA), John Walker (New Zealand), Steve Cram (GB), Ray Flynn (Ireland), Mike Boit (Kenya), Eamonn Coghlan (Ireland), Tom Byers (USA), and Thomas Wessinghage (Germany). At a time when South Africa was not permitted to take part in Athletics on the global stage, Sydney Maree who was attending Villanova University was cleared just in time to compete for the USA. It was Maree who won that inaugural 5th avenue mile in a time of 3:47.52, a time that was so fast, it still stands as the course record to this very day. The USA’s three-year win was halted in 1984 when New Zealand’s John Walker took the title. Ray Flynn was a constant in those early years with his highest ever placing being 4th. The highest ever Irish placing came from Frank O’Mara who despite the high-class field which included the 1980 Olympic 800m champion Steve Ovett, outkicked everyone over the final 400m to take the title. There were three Irishmen in that 1985 race; O’Mara, Eamonn Coughlan and Ray Flynn. Coughlan finished 4th, his highest ever placing with Flynn in 8th.
The first time an Irish lady competed in the event was in 1984 when Louise McGrillen (DCH) finished 11th in 4:31.44. However, it was Kilkenny woman Sinead Delahunty that was Ireland’s only female winner. Delahunty who started athletics with Kilkenny City Harriers and raced on the colligate scene for Providence won the race in 1995, was 4th in 1996 and 2nd in 1997. Since then, only Sarah Healy has come close. Healy finished 2nd in 2022 in 4:19.40 and will be hoping to make the podium again this year. While the men’s course record from that first race back in 1981 may have stood the test of time, the ladies record has changed hands three times. The current record is held by Laura Muir with a 4:14.8 performance.
Some notable statistics from the event over the years;
- The most prolific winners are American Jenny Simpson who has won it eight times with New Zealands Nick Willis taking the title five times.
- The men’s record is held by Sydney Maree since 1981 with Laura Muir setting the ladies record in 2022.
- In 2000 the mass participation began in the 5th avenue mile. And from the humble start of 791 finishers back in 2000, this year’s race will hit 10,000.
- In 2021 New York Road Runners (the organisers) featured the non-binary gender category for the first time.