By David Monti, @d9monti
(c) 2025 Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved
NEW YORK (07-Jun) — Hellen Obiri of Kenya, one of the most decorated women in distance running, who had won world titles in indoor track, outdoor track and cross country plus the Boston and New York City Marathons, added one more big victory to her résumé today: the Mastercard New York Mini 10-K. Obiri, 35, who runs for the On Athletics Club in Boulder, Colo., won the world’s original road race for women here this morning in Central Park, prevailing in a late-race duel with USA half-marathon record holder Weini Kelati (Under Armour Dark Sky Distance), 30:44 to 30:49. Obiri covered the up-and-down back half of the race in a blistering 15:09 and won $10,000 in prize money.
“First of all, I’m so happy to win this race because the elite (field) was so strong,” Obiri told reporters. “Also, coming after Boston (Marathon) and Manchester (10-K) I felt like, let me try to give my best. For the last two weeks I have been working on my speed.”
Obiri needed both speed and endurance to win today. A savvy racer, she stayed tucked in the lead pack of eight which broke away in the second mile. Amanda Vestri (Brooks/ZAP Endurance), who was the top American at this race last year when she finished fourth, set the early pace. Vestri covered the first (downhill) mile in 4:57, then the down-and-up second mile at the same tempo. Vestri and Obiri were joined by Sharon Lokedi (Under Armour) and Grace Nawowuna (Nike) of Kenya, Gotytom Gebreslase (Nike) of Ethiopia, Taylor Roe (Puma Elite Running), and Emma Grace Hurley (Asics).
The group of eight stayed together as they climbed up Cat Hill –named after a statue of a mountain lion mounted on a rock outcropping on the side of the course– and were still together at the 3-mile mark (15:02) and 5-K (15:36). Kelati decided to take the lead in the fourth mile, and after the leaders passed Engineers’ Gate at 90th Street on the park’s east side, Hurley began to drift off the back (she would finish eighth in 31:42). Kelati was on the front.
“At first the race was kind of slow,” Kelati told Race Results Weekly. She continued: “The race kind of got stronger and stronger, and at some point Hellen came up next to me. She’s a strong runner.”
Kelati split the fourth mile in 4:55, and that was fast enough to drop Vestri and Nawowuna who finished sixth and seventh in 31:20 and 31:34, respectively. That left five women –Obiri, Kelati, Gebreslase, Roe and Lokedi– to battle for the win as the race turned back south in the fifth mile on the park’s East Drive.
Moments later, Obiri made her big move. Roe, the American 10-K record holder with a 30:56 personal best, immediately reacted along with Kelati.
“I mean, like that’s the move,” Roe told reporters. “Like, that was going to be the move that broke open the race, and it’s either you hopped on the train and you’re in it, or if you don’t hop on it you’re going the wrong direction.”
Roe did her best to stay in contact with Kelati and Obiri, but the former Oklahoma State star eventually fell back and was passed by Gebreslase, who took third in 30:54 to Roe’s 30:58.
Up ahead, Kelati and Obiri continued their battle for the win. With 26:30 showing on the clock, Kelati went in front with Obiri right on her heels. But moments later, on the course’s final downhill, Obiri opened up her stride and surged ahead of Kelati. Kelati pushed herself to match the 2:17:41 marathoner’s move.
“She’s a tough runner, she’s like a marathoner,” Kelati said of Obiri. She continued: “I was like, no matter what, I have to follow her. I know she has a great finish. I just had to push myself today.”
But Obiri was too strong for Kelati today. She held her lead all the way to the finish line on the 72nd Street Transverse right in the middle of the park. Her time of 30:44 was well off of Senbere Teferi’s 2023 course record of 30:12, but very solid given the extremely humid conditions today.
“For me it’s incredible,” said Obiri of her victory. “And the winning here tells me, like, I have a lot to give out in coming marathon. You know when you win here, they have an incredible field, really strong women. So, for me winning here it’s a good indication that I’m also strong coming from Boston, and taking it into the next marathon I feel so strong.”
Interestingly, Kelati earned more prize money than Obiri. She collected $8000 for second place plus another $5000 as the top American for a total of $13,000. The 2019 NCAA cross country champion for the University of New Mexico said she hoped to win the Mini before her career wrapped up.
“I wish I did today,” she said.
Susannah Scaroni broke her own course record in the professional wheelchair competition, clocking 20:49. It was her sixth Mini win, good for $2500 in prize money. She was worried that it might rain, a big risk factor for wheelchair racers.
“I did not expect it,” Scaroni told Race Results Weekly of her win today. “It started to sprinkle on the (starting) line, and I was starting to get nervous. Then it stayed dry, no wind. And just like, amazing day.”
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Today’s race had a record 9973 finishers, according to New York Road Runners officials, an event record.
PHOTO: Hellen Obiri of Kenya winning the 2025 Mastercard New York Mini 10-K in 30:44 (Photo by Jane Monti for Race Results Weekly)
PHOTO: The top-3 finishers of the 2025 Mastercard New York Mini 10-K (left to right) Weini Kelati, 2nd, 30:49; Hellen Obiri, 1st, 30:44; Gotytom Gebreslase, 3rd, 30:54 (Photo by Jane Monti for Race Results Weekly)
PHOTO: The professional wheelchair champion of the 2025 Mastercard New York Mini 10-K, Susannah Scaroni, with NYRR’s Christine Burke, Ted Metellus, and Nnenna Lynch (Photo by Jane Monti for Race Results Weekly)
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ENDS
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