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New York Road Runners Welcomes Nearly 28,500 Finishers to Coney Island for 2025 RBC Brooklyn Half®, One of the Largest in Race History

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BYNYRR Staff
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New York, May 18, 2025 – 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, hosted nearly 28,500 athletes during the sold-out RBC Brooklyn Half, the original, premier running event in the borough and one of the country’s largest and most anticipated half marathons, Saturday, May 17.

With the second-largest field in RBC Brooklyn Half event history participating, the course took athletes on a 13.1-mile journey from Prospect Park to the iconic Coney Island Boardwalk. On the way to the finish, athletes raced alongside the largest Boardwalk Kids Run in event history, with more than 1,200 kids ages two to 18 participating in free youth races and dashes.

The Manhattan-based West Side Runners led a 1-2 punch in the men’s race, with Mulgeta Birhanu Feyissa taking victory in 1:04:57, 14 seconds ahead of his run club teammate Tilihun Ayele Tariku.

In her first-ever RBC Brooklyn Half, Felicia Pasadyn broke the tape in 1:15:37, ahead of last year’s winner and U.S. Olympian Kim Conley.

Galo Vasquez of Westchester Track Club won the nonbinary division in 1:13:18, their second title in as many months, after also winning the division at the 2025 United Airlines NYC Half in March.

Notable and Inspiring Runners

Among the nearly 28,500 finishers were notable, inspiring, and local Brooklyn runners including:

  • Alan Bersten (1:38:43): “Dancing with the Stars” professional dancer who ran his first-ever half marathon with NYRR Team for Kids, New York Road Runners’ premier charity supporting the nonprofit’s free and community programs
  • Matt James (1:24:32): Reality TV star and entrepreneur who ran a new half marathon personal best
  • Patina Miller (1:56:13): Tony-award winning actor and singer who runs with Define New York Run Club
  • Natalia Trevino Amaro and Tina Muir (2:35:50): Sustainability advocates who ran the RBC Brooklyn Half—Natalia's first-ever half marathon—in support of NYRR Team for Climate while wearing sustainable fashion designed by Natalia
  • Jaclyn Keely