Josh Kerr and Karissa Schweizer win Fifth Avenue Mile in New York in record time

Scottish runner Josh Kerr broke one of the oldest course records in the 43rd edition of the Fifth Avenue Mile in the time of 3:44.3. Kerr, the newly crowned Olympic 1500m silver medallist also won on Fifth Avenue in 2023. Sunday, he smashed Sydney Maree’s 1981 record of 3:47.52, which had stood for 43 years.

Kerr ran on the outside during the first half allowing Eric Holt to lead for the $1000 halfway prime. The first quarter, which is downhill, was run in 58 seconds. Holt put in a surge at halfway, but Irishman Cathal Doyle made a race of it. Kerr waited for a moment, then kicked hard to separate himself from the rest of the field.

The 43rd New Balance 5th Avenue Mile! Amazing to see everyone race down a 20-block stretch of Fifth Avenue near Museum Mile. #NB5thAveMile pic.twitter.com/FN1I3d9rvd

— Max Guliani (@maximusupinNYc) September 8, 2024

Josh Hoey finished in second place clocking a 3:49, while Amon Kemboi finished third one second back. Holt ended up 17th in 3:59.

Karissa Schweizer took the women’s race in the time of 4:15. That ties the previous record and sets a new personal best for the American. Taking second was Dorcus Ewoi in 4:18 and coming in third was Susan Ejore in 4:19.

Schweizer dominated the race and tied Laura Muir’s course record of 4:14.8 from 2022. It was her first time running the event. She is primarily a 5000m and 10,000m runner and competed in the 2024 Paris Olympic Games over those distances.

Schweizer’s previous mile best was run indoors at Dempsey in the time of 4:24.32 in 2020. Ewoi from Kenya has a previous best was 4:19.71. Fellow Kenya Ejore improved her mile time by the same amount. She carried a 4:20.61 coming into the race.

Seventeen of 19 men finished under the four-minute benchmark. Fourteen of 20 women finished sub-4:30.

Results

WOMEN’S ELITE MILE RESULTS