WEEKEND WRAPUP: Josh Kerr breaks long-standing course record at 5th Avenue Mile...
NEW YORK--Josh Kerr (photo courtesy NY Road Runners) of the Brooks Beasts successfully defended his title at the New Balance 5th Avenue Mile on the streets of New York Sunday.
In the process, Kerr broke the long standing course record of 3:47.52 set in 1981 by American Sydney Maree, as he clocked 3:44.3 (rounded up to 3:45).
Kerr was content to sit in third through the slightly uphill portion of the course, letting Ireland's Cathal Doyle and American Eric Holt lead the way, as the first half mile was run in 1:57.
Just past the half mile was when Kerr rode the downhill portion, going through 1320 in 2:51, before turning on the jets for the victory.
As the route is a point-to-point course, it is not eligible for world record status.
Brooks Beasts teammate Waleed Suliman finished twelfth in 3:56.
Here is video of the race, courtesy of WABC Channel 7 in New York (go to the 41:50 mark; may be geoblocked outside the USA)
In the post race interview, he said that once he got to the halfway point, it was just, "Let's go."
"Running a road mile is very specific, so it's difficult to gauge it."
He gave a shout out to the racing flats made by his sponsor, Seattle based Brooks, adding that "how many times can you say that the Hyperion Elite is the fastest road mile shoe in the world?"
With that victory, Kerr concludes the 2024 season, as he will skip the Wanda Diamond League finals in Brussels on Friday and Saturday.
In the opening women's pro mile, Karissa Schweizer of the Eugene based Bowerman Track Club took the win in 4:15 (pro women's race begins at 31:00 in the YouTube video)
Washington alum Kayley DeLay of the Brooks Beasts was 14th in 4:28, while Pasco native and US steeplechase Olympian Marisa Howard was 20th in 4:39.
In Zagreb, Croatia Sunday afternoon, Woodinville native and Bear Creek alum Olivia Markezich scored a personal best in the 1500 meters with her eighth place finish in 4:07.43 at the Memorial Borisa Hanžekovića Meeting.
Italy's Sintayehu Vissa won the race in a meet record 3:58.33.
Washington alum Carley Thomas was eighth in the women's 800 in 2:00.03, as Kenya's Nelly Chepchirchir won in 1:57.00.
NOTE: The New York Road Runners and the Memorial Borisa Hanžekovića contributed to this report.
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