FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Belay Tilahun, Joyciline Jepkosgei, Daniel Romanchuk and Tatyana McFadden
Win United Airlines NYC Half Titles
Tilahun and Jepkosgei win their first career titles in New York in open
division, as McFadden and Romanchuk record first American sweep in
wheelchair division
New York, March 17, 2019 - Belay Tilahun of Ethiopia and Joyciline
Jepkosgei of Kenya won their New York City racing debuts in the open
division and Daniel Romanchuk and Tatyana McFadden of the United States
completed the first-ever American sweep of the wheelchair division at the
2019 United Airlines NYC Half on Sunday.
Tilahun, a 24-year-old member of West Side Runners, recorded his surprise
victory in a time of 1:02:10 with an exciting kick through the final two
miles.
"I was feeling quite cold at the beginning, but as I was warming up, I
began to feel better. After about 15 kilometers, I was confident that I
could win. So I used the finishing kick that I had to win," Tilahun said.
Eritrea's Daniel Mesfun finished second in 1:02:16 after leading for the
majority of the race, while U.S. Olympic silver medalist Paul Chelimo took
third in 1:02:19 in his half-marathon debut.
A record eight American men finished in the top 10 in the open division, as
Chelimo was followed by Jared Ward, Noah Droddy, Brogan Austin, Tim
Ritchie, John Raneri, Parker Stinson, and Ben True, respectively.
In the women's open division, Jepkosgei, the half marathon world
record-holder, won her first-ever race in the United States on a solo run
to the finish in a time of 1:10:07. The world championship silver medalist
in the distance became the sixth woman from Kenya to win the event, and the
first to do so since 2014.
"This season I am preparing to debut in the marathon, and this was a great
half marathon to see how my body feels," Jepkosgei said.
Fellow Kenyan Mary Ngugi came through the finish line one minute later in
1:11:07 to take second place, 15-hundredths of a second ahead of last
year's champion, Ethiopia's Buze Diriba.
Emma Bates, the 2018 USATF Marathon champion, was the top American in the
women's open division, taking fourth place in 1:11:13. She was followed by
2018 Boston Marathon winner Des Linden in fifth place in 1:11:22.
In the men's wheelchair division, Daniel Romanchuk followed up his TCS New
York City Marathon title with his first United Airlines NYC Half title,
taking the tape in 51:35.
"The races in New York are so well put together and it was a great race for
me today. By the time we got toward the end of Flatbush Avenue there was a
pack of three - Ernst van Dyk, Aaron Pike, and myself. Then at the small
hill before Central Park, I decided I was going to break away and I was
able to do so," Romanchuk said.
After winning the last four editions of the event, South Africa's Ernst van
Dyk took second place in 52:08, as American Aaron Pike clocked in just
seconds behind to finish in third.
McFadden, an NYRR Team for Kids Ambassador, won her second career United
Airlines NYC Half title and first NYRR race since 2016 with a time of
57:18.
"It's been a while since I won this one. To be 100 percent fit for this and
get in the front position early was great. I raced against some fierce
competitors today, and to get back on top makes me feel stronger than
ever," McFadden said.
Switzerland's two-time defending TCS New York City Marathon champion
Manuela Schär was unable to defend her title, finishing just behind
McFadden in 57:27. American Susannah Scaroni recorded her fifth consecutive
career podium finish in the event, taking third place in 58:51.
The professional athlete field included nine Olympians and nine
Paralympians who navigated the 13.1-mile course through neighborhoods in
Brooklyn and Manhattan and past iconic New York City landmarks, including
Grand Army Plaza, the United Nations, Grand Central Terminal, and Times
Square.
The United Airlines NYC Half is one of seven races - from the mile to the
marathon - organized by New York Road Runners, which features invited
professional athlete fields and makes up the NYRR Pro Racing Series. The
NYRR Pro Racing Series also includes the NYRR Wanamaker Mile, UAE Healthy
Kidney 10K, NYRR New York Mini 10K, New Balance 5th Avenue Mile, USATF 5K
Championships, and the TCS New York City Marathon.
In addition to the professional athletes and citizen runners who covered
13.1 miles, the 2019 United Airlines NYC Half hosted more than 1,000 youth
runners in the Rising New York Road Runners at the United Airlines NYC Half
on a 1200-meter out-and-back course on Seventh Avenue. Rising New York Road
Runners is NYRR's free, year-round youth program and events platform that
serves nearly 250,000 youth across the country annually.
New this year, those not running the race in person have been able to bring
the race to their own neighborhood and run it virtually. The NYRR NYC
Half-Virtual 13.1M allows runners to race anywhere in the world on their
own time between March 14 and 17. Runners who complete the virtual race
will receive one guaranteed, non-complimentary entry to the 2020 United
Airlines NYC Half and a finisher medal.
About New York Road Runners (NYRR)
NYRR's mission is to help and inspire people through running. Since 1958,
New York Road Runners has grown from a local running club to the world's
premier community running organization. NYRR's commitment to New York
City's five boroughs features races, community events, free youth running
initiatives and school programs, the NYRR RUNCENTER featuring the New
Balance Run Hub, and training resources that provide hundreds of thousands
of people each year, from children to seniors, with the motivation,
know-how, and opportunity to Run for Life. NYRR's premier event, and the
largest marathon in the world, is the TCS New York City Marathon. Held
annually on the first Sunday in November, the race features 50,000 runners,
from the world's top professional athletes to a vast range of competitive,
recreational, and charity runners. To learn more, visit www.nyrr.org.
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