For Immediate Release
Defending champion Amon Kemboi to face Olympic finalist Edwin Kurgat, Olympian Morgan McDonald and five-time NCAA champion Habtom Samuel in men’s race
Former New York City Marathon champions Franca Fiacconi, Meb Keflezighi, Uta Pippig, Paula Radcliffe, and Hendrick Ramaala to participate
Tune in: Livestream of the professional athlete fields on NYRR’s YouTube channel
Abbott sponsors the race for 10th year
2025 VIDEO
New York, Oct. 21, 2026 — New York Road Runners (NYRR), the nonprofit that “runs” New York City producing 60 annual adult and youth races including the TCS New York City Marathon, today announced the professional athlete field for the 2026 Abbott Dash to the Finish Line 5K, taking place Saturday, Oct. 31, one day before the TCS New York City Marathon. Among the more than 11,000 athletes racing from the United Nations to Central Park will be three Olympians, eight NCAA champions, four U.S. national champions, and the two defending Abbott Dash to the Finish Line 5K champions Annie Rodenfels and Amon Kemboi.
“The Abbott Dash to the Finish Line 5K is one of the most beloved traditions of marathon weekend, bringing together world-class professional athletes and thousands of runners from around the globe on the eve of the TCS New York City Marathon,” said Rob Simmelkjaer, New York Road Runners CEO. “As we celebrate a decade of partnership with Abbott, we’re proud to continue creating opportunities for runners of all abilities to experience the excitement, joy, and sense of accomplishment that come with crossing the iconic TCS New York City Marathon finish line in Central Park.”
The women’s race will feature Rodenfels, a three-time national champion who has won the last three editions of the Abbott Dash to the Finish Line 5K. She has had a successful 2026 road-racing season, most recently competing in the half marathon at the World Athletics Road Running Championships in September. Rodenfels will face Whittni Morgan, a 2024 U.S. Olympian in the 5,000 meters and a new mother, as well as three U.S. champions: Josette Andrews, the 2025 USATF 5K national champion, who placed sixth in the 5,000 meters at the 2025 World Athletics Championships; Ednah Kurgat, the 2023 USATF Cross Country and 6K national champion and a Pan American Games bronze medalist in the 10,000 meters; and Rachael Rudel, the newly crowned USATF 20K national champion. Rudel also made history at the Bolder Boulder 10K in July, running 32:46—the fastest time ever recorded by an American woman at the event.
“The Abbott Dash to the Finish Line 5K has become one of my favorite races on the calendar, and I’m thrilled to return to New York to defend my title for the fourth time,” said Rodenfels. “Being in New York City during marathon weekend brings an energy you can’t find anywhere else, and I’m looking forward to soaking up the atmosphere and crowd support once again.”
Also joining the field are Madie Boreman, who placed third in the 3,000-meter steeplechase at the 2026 USATF Outdoor & Para National Championships; Bailey Hertenstein, the 2025 NACAC Championships silver medalist in the 5,000 meters; and NCAA champions Elly Henes and Katelyn Tuohy. Henes won the 5,000 meters at the 2021 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships, exactly 30 years after her mother captured the same title. Tuohy, who won four individual NCAA titles and set multiple collegiate records from 2021 to 2023, will race for the first time since April.
The men’s race will be headlined by defending champion Kemboi of Kenya, who won last year in his Abbott Dash to the Finish Line 5K debut by one second. Kemboi has raced just once this season and will be tested by Kenyan Olympian Edwin Kurgat and Eritrea’s Habtom Samuel. Kurgat, who finished fourth in the 10,000 meters at the 2026 Commonwealth Games, returns to NYRR racing for the first time since the 2024 New Balance 5th Avenue Mile. Samuel, undefeated in his rookie professional season with victories and course records at the Falmouth Road Race and Houston Half Marathon, after a collegiate career that included five NCAA titles, will make his NYRR debut.
“Winning the Abbott Dash 5K last year helped me perfect my ’tape-break pose’ that I hope to use in my future marathon career,” said Kemboi. “I’m excited about the chance to return to New York City and defend my 5K title on the best weekend in running.”
Other key competitors include Australia’s Morgan McDonald, a two-time Olympian and four-time NCAA champion racing for the first time since May, and Latvia’s Arturs Medveds, who holds seven national records, including the road mile, 5K, 10K, and half marathon.
Abbott, a global healthcare leader and the title sponsor of the Abbott World Marathon Majors, will sponsor the Abbott Dash to the Finish Line 5K for the 10th year, celebrating what’s possible with good health.
“The Abbott Dash to the Finish Line 5K is a great shakeout run for those taking on the marathon, and an excellent opportunity for individuals of all abilities to take part and experience the energy of race weekend,” said Chris Miller, Divisional Vice President, Partnerships and Sponsorships at Abbott. “Over the last decade, we have been proud to have the Abbott Dash be part of the TCS New York City Marathon weekend, a world-class celebration of running that brings together participants and spectators from across the globe to celebrate what’s possible when health comes first.”
Notable and Inspiring Runners
In addition to the professional athlete field, the 2026 Abbott Dash to the Finish Line 5K will feature notable runners whose stories reflect the history and spirt of marathon weekend, including:
- Gary Corbitt – Running historian and son of Ted Corbitt, one of the founders of the iconic 5-boro New York City Marathon course, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. Corbitt will serve as an Honorary Grand Marshal for the 2026 TCS New York City Marathon, representing his father’s enduring legacy.
- Julianna Mangano – A member of 2026 Team Inspire—a diverse group of athletes with the 26 most compelling stories in the TCS New York City Marathon field—who began running after her cousin, and best friend, suffered a cardiac event while out on a routine run. Now a professional sports athletic trainer and EMT, Mangano will run the Abbott Dash to the Finish Line 5K before taking on her first-ever marathon, which starts in her home borough of Staten Island.
- Past New York City Marathon champions invited by New York Road Runners to help recognize the 50th anniversary of the 5-boro New York City Marathon, which was the first to feature a professional athlete field:
- Franca Fiacconi (ITA): The 1998 New York City Marathon champion and the first Italian woman to win the race.
- Meb Keflezighi (USA): Olympic silver medalist and 2009 New York City Marathon champion, the first American man to win since 1982.
- Uta Pippig (GER): Two-time Olympian and 1993 New York City Marathon champion, who made history as the first German woman to win the race.
- Paula Radcliffe (GBR): Four-time Olympian, three-time New York City Marathon champion (2004, 2007-2008), and former women’s marathon world record holder.
- Hendrick Ramaala (RSA): The 2004 New York City Marathon champion and two-time World Half Marathon silver medalist.
- Abbott World Marathon Majors race directors and CEOs celebrating the conclusion of the 2026 marathon season with a friendly competition:
- Jack Fleming of the Boston Marathon
- Wayne Larden of the Sydney Marathon
- Jürgen Lock of the Berlin Marathon
- Yasuhiro Oshima of the Tokyo Marathon
How to Watch
Fans can tune in to the NYRR Set the Pace Presented by Peloton Watch Party of the Abbott Dash to the Finish Line 5K on New York Road Runners’ YouTube channel from 8:20 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. ET. Hosted by Olympian Carrie Tollefson and running journalist Chris Chavez in front of a live audience at the finish line in Central Park, the watch party will provide expert commentary on the professional races and feature post-race interviews with the champions.
Participants, spectators, and supporters can also use the Official New York Road Runners App, available for download on the Apple App Store and Google Play, to stay conveniently connected with runner tracking and leaderboards, race-day information and alerts, and course maps.
An annual tradition, the Abbott Dash to the Finish Line 5K gives TCS New York City Marathon supporters, friends, and families the opportunity to join in on the thrill of marathon race week and get a taste of the famed marathon finish-line feeling. The course begins on Manhattan’s East Side by the United Nations, then takes runners along 42nd Street past historic Grand Central Terminal and up Sixth Avenue past the world-famous Radio City Music Hall. After tackling the rolling hills of Central Park, athletes end the race at the iconic TCS New York City Marathon finish line. This year’s TCS New York City Marathon—the best day of the year, in the best city in the world—will commemorate the 50th anniversary of the 5-boro course, which was first run in 1976 to celebrate the nation’s Bicentennial and uplift the city.
Women’s Professional Athlete Field
| Name | Country | Personal Best 5K | Personal Best 5,000 meters |
| Josette Andrews | USA | 15:06 (Indianapolis, 2025) | 14:25.37 (Rome, 2025) |
| Annie Rodenfels | USA | 15:08 (Boston, 2024) | 15:00.64i (Boston, 2025) |
| Bailey Hertenstein | USA | 15:16 (Indianapolis, 2025) | 14:48.91 (Los Angeles, 2025) |
| Elly Henes | USA | 15:22 (Boston, 2022) | 14:47.15 (London, 2023) |
| Alex Millard | GBR | 15:27 (London, 2025) | 15:02.64 (Oordegem, Belgium, 2025) |
| Whittni Morgan | USA | 15:49 (Atlanta, 2022) | 14:48.41i (Boston, 2025) |
| Ednah Kurgat | USA | 15:51+ (Canton, Ohio, 2025) | 15:11.30 (Walnut, Calif., 2023) |
| Katelyn Tuohy | USA | 15:53 (Boston, 2026) | 15:03.12 (Walnut, Calif., 2023) |
| Rachael Rudel | USA | 16:15 (Fort Collins, Colo., 2024) | N/A |
| Madie Boreman | USA | N/A | 15:24.89 (Palo Alto, Calif., 2023) |
| Ella Donaghu | USA | N/A | 14:50.89i (Boston, 2025) |
| Hilda Olemomoi | KEN | N/A | 14:52.84i (Boston, 2025) |
Men’s Professional Athlete Field
| Name | Country | Personal Best 5K | Personal Best 5,000 meters |
| Edwin Kurgat | KEN | 13:23 (Boston, 2026) | 12:57.52i (Boston, 2024) |
| Morgan McDonald | AUS | 13:26 (Riga, Latvia, 2023) | 13:00.48 (Los Angeles, 2024) |
| Anthony Camerieri | USA | 13:30 (Boston, 2026) | 13:04.07 (Oordegem, Belgium, 2026) |
| Arturs Medveds | LAT | 13:30 (Copenhagen, Denmark, 2026) | 13:43.16 (Azusa, Calif., 2025) |
| Bob Liking | USA | 13:35 (Indianapolis, 2026) | 13:09.31 (Los Angeles, 2024) |
| Amon Kemboi | KEN | 13:37 (Boston, 2025) | 12:58.51 (oordegem, Belgium, 2025) |
| Reid Buchanan | USA | 13:45 (Carlsbad, Calif., 2022) | 13:27.03 (Los Angeles, 2023) |
| Habtom Samuel | ERI | N/A | 12:57.22 NR (Los Angeles, 2026) |
| Jackson Sharp | AUS | N/A | 13:05.22 (Los Angeles, 2026) |
| Luke Tewalt | USA | N/A | 13:19.82 (Palo Alto, Calif., 2026) |
i = indoors; NR = national record
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About New York Road Runners (NYRR)
A New York City–based nonprofit, New York Road Runners’ vision is to build healthier lives and stronger communities through the transformative power of running—serving more than half a million people annually through its races, free community events, youth running initiatives, and school-based programs across the five boroughs. During its nearly 70 years, New York Road Runners has grown from a local running club to the world’s premier community running organization, producing more than 60 adult and youth races each year, including the TCS New York City Marathon. Held the first Sunday each November, the TCS New York City Marathon features nearly 60,000 runners—from the world’s best professional athletes to a vast range of runners across experience levels, ages, genders, abilities, and backgrounds. To learn more, visit www.nyrr.org.