Paul Chelimo Breaks Course Record and Emily Sisson Picks Up First Win in New York at the USATF 5K Championships at the Abbott Dash to the Finish Line 5K

New York, November 3, 2018—Paul Chelimo broke the course record and Emily Sisson picked up her first win at a New York Road Runners race at the USATF 5K Championships and Abbott Dash to the Finish Line 5K on Saturday, November 3.

Chelimo, an Olympic silver medalist in the 5000 meters, won the men’s race in 13:45, taking one second off the former course record that was set by Nick Willis in 2013.

“It’s a good day to win,” Chelimo said. “It’s so exciting, I wasn’t going to lose it today.”

Last year’s USATF 5K Championships winner, Shadrack Kipchirchir, finished second in 13:45, and Stanley Kebenei took third in 13:53.

After finishing as runner-up twice at the United Airlines NYC Half, Emily Sisson won her first race in New York, taking the tape in the women’s race with a solo sprint to the finish in 15:38.

“It means a lot winning here today,” she said. “I came second the last two times I raced in New York, and both of those races were really good, but to finally break the tape meant a lot to me. There’s something really special about racing here.”

Erika Kemp, who recently graduated from North Carolina State where she was an All-American, took second in the women’s race in 15:50. Olympian Amy Cragg, who was third at the Tokyo Marathon earlier this year, finished third in 15:54.

Following in the footsteps of the professional athletes were more than 10,000 runners participating in the Abbott Dash to the Finish Line 5K, including top local athletes and people visiting from around the world.

The 2018 Abbott Dash to the Finish Line 5K and USATF 5K Championships took place the day prior to the TCS New York City Marathon as part of the 2018 USATF Running Circuit.

Abbott is serving as both the title partner of the Abbott Dash to the Finish Line and USATF 5K Championships – both hosted by NYRR – through 2021.