International Stars and Record-Holders to Clash at New York Mini 10K

TCS New York City Marathon champion Sharon Lokedi to challenge Boston Marathon champion Hellen Obiri; record-holders Emily Sisson and Keira D’Amato to lead Americans.

This year’s Mastercard® New York Mini 10K, the first women-only road race in the world, will feature Olympians, Paralympians, national-record holders and past event champions in what is expected to be the largest race in the event’s 51-year history with around 9,000 runners on Saturday, June 10 in Central Park.

The Mini 10K, which began in 1972 as the first women-only road race known then as the Crazylegs Mini Marathon, has gone on to garner more than 200,000 total finishers to date. Former NYRR President Fred Lebow named the race after the miniskirt, which back then was in vogue. A total of 72 women finished the first race, and three weeks later, Title IX was signed into law, guaranteeing girls and women the right to participate in school sports and creating new opportunities for generations of female athletes.

The open division will be headlined by TCS New York City Marathon champion Sharon Lokedi of Kenya, Boston Marathon champion Hellen Obiri of Kenya, and two-time Olympian and defending event champion Senbere Teferi of Ethiopia. Joining them will be a strong American contingent led by Olympian and U.S. marathon record-holder Emily Sisson, and U.S. 10-mile record holder Keira D’Amato.

Lokedi, who will return to Central Park for the first time since winning the TCS New York City Marathon in her marathon debut in November, was the runner-up at last year’s Mastercard® New York Mini 10K. Obiri, a two-time Olympic and seven-time world championships medalist, will be making her debut in the race after winning the United Airlines NYC Half in March and the Boston Marathon in April.

“The last time I was in New York, my entire life changed when I won the TCS New York City Marathon,” Lokedi said. “This iconic city will now always hold a special place in my heart and I’m eager to keep improving and show that I’m on top of the podium to stay.”

“There is no greater feeling than having my daughter watch me win races, and having her with me when I won the United Airlines NYC Half and Boston Marathon this year was truly special,” Obiri said. “Now, I’m looking forward to lining up for the women-only Mastercard Mini 10K for the first time, and having so many girls from the next generation watch me race, just like my daughter does.”

Teferi is a two-time Olympian who won the 2022 United Airlines NYC Half in an event-record time and returned to Central Park three months later to win her first Mastercard® New York Mini 10K. She is also a two-time World Championships silver medalist and the 5K world-record holder for a women-only race.

“Winning the 50th edition of the Mastercard New York Mini 10K last year was very emotional for me, and I was proud to lead thousands of women in celebration,” Teferi said. “I’m excited to return to Central Park again, which has been so kind to me in recent visits.”

Susannah Scaroni, a two-time Paralympic medalist, is the most dominant woman in wheelchair racing now as the defending champion of the TCS New York City Marathon, Boston Marathon, and Chicago Marathon. She has won the wheelchair division of the Mastercard® New York Mini 10K every year since it first began in 2018, and has previously set the world-best 10K mark at the race. This year, in addition to racing the likes of U.S. Paralympians Jenna Fesemyer and Hannah Dederick in the wheelchair division, she will serve as an ambassador for the NYRR Run for the Future program at the event.

NYRR Run for the Future is a free seven-week program is for high school girls in New York City with little to no running experience. It introduces participants to running and wellness through practices and panels focused on mental health, nutrition, and body image – some of which Scaroni has helped lead. At the end of the seven weeks, participants will take part in their first-ever 5K at the Mini 10K with Scaroni cheering them on at the finish line. Mastercard® will make a donation of $10,000 to NYRR Run for the Future – $5,000 on behalf of the open division champion and $5,000 on behalf of the wheelchair division champion.

“I’ve been fortunate to compete at this event since the addition of the professional wheelchair division to the Mini 10K in 2018, and I’ve absolutely loved everything about competing at this race,” Scaroni said. “This year, I’m thrilled to be giving back to NYRR and the next generation of women at the event by serving as an NYRR Run for the Future Ambassador cheering on the Run for the Future participants as they run their first-ever 5K will be incredible.”

The Mastercard® New York Mini 10K will offer $45,000 in total prize money, including $10,000 to the winner of the open division and $2,500 to the winner of the wheelchair division.

The professional athlete races will be streamed live on USATF.TV beginning at 7:40 a.m. ET. Mastercard® will serve as title sponsor of the event for the third time, and as part of its on-going partnership with NYRR will also serve as the presenting sponsor of professional women’s athlete field.

posted Tuesday May 23rd
by Running USA