FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
2020 Virtual TCS New York City Marathon to Feature Top Professional
Athletes and Celebrities to Inspire Runners
During These Unprecedented Times
All-star lineup is headlined by running champions Deena Kastor, Meb
Keflezighi, Tatyana McFadden, Daniel Romanchuk, Stephanie Bruce, and Emily
Sisson; and notable runners include Tiki Barber, Amy Robach, Nev Schulman,
Andrew Shue, and James Blake
New York, August 25, 2020 - New York Road Runners (NYRR), the world's
premier community running organization, today announced its professional
athlete and notable runner lineup for the third-annual Virtual TCS New York
City Marathon, taking place October 17 through November 1. The virtual
race, powered by Strava, brings runners together from all over the world by
having them participate in a race from their location of choice. During
these challenging times, a roster of New York City Marathon legends, top
professional athletes, notable personalities, and influencers will be
rallying together and joining thousands of runners in the virtual marathon.
The Virtual TCS New York City Marathon will showcase an all-star group of
professional runners from the past and present, including Olympic medalist
and American marathon record-holder Deena Kastor; USA national champions
Stephanie Bruce and Team New Balance athlete Emily Sisson; 17-time
Paralympic medalist, five-time New York City Marathon champion, and NYRR
Team for Kids Ambassador Tatyana McFadden; and Paralympian Daniel
Romanchuk, the first American and youngest athlete ever to win the men's
wheelchair division at the TCS New York City Marathon.
Premier athletes from across the sports industry will also join the
26.2-mile virtual run including former New York Giants running back and
NYRR Team for Kids Ambassador Tiki Barber. Another passionate NYRR Team for
Kids ambassador that will participate is MTV Catfish producer and host Nev
Schulman.
Olympic medalist and former New York City Marathon champion Meb Keflezighi
will team up with tennis star and philanthropist James Blake; they will
share the distance and each running a half marathon to support and raise
funds for their respective charitable causes. Keflezighi will run for NYRR
Team for Kids and Blake will run on behalf of the James Blake Foundation.
The dynamic list of headlining runners is rounded out by an additional duo,
Amy Robach, co-host of ABC News and Good Morning America, running alongside
with her husband, Andrew Shue, actor and television star of Melrose Place.
Robach and Shue will split the miles and each run a half marathon.
"Virtual racing continues to redefine the runner experience by creating an
innovative and safe way to participate during these challenging times while
also providing an opportunity for runners from all over the world to stay
connected through running," said NYRR president and CEO Michael Capiraso.
"We are excited to welcome an inspiring group of prominent runners to our
third-annual Virtual TCS New York City Marathon."
Capiraso will support NYRR Team For Kids and be among the thousands of
runners participating in the virtual marathon, and will be joined by Surya
Kant, Chairman of North America for Tata Consultancy Services, the
marathon's title sponsor, who will be running in his first-ever marathon.
Below is the full list of professional athletes and notable runners for
this year's virtual marathon:
- Tiki Barber: Former New York Giants running back, host of Tiki and
Tierney
- James Blake: Former tennis star, running in support of the James Blake
Foundation
- Stephanie Bruce: Two-time USA champion
- Deena Kastor: Olympic medalist, American marathon record-holder
- Meb Keflezighi: Olympic silver medalist, New York City Marathon champion,
running in support of NYRR Team for Kids
- Tatyana McFadden: 17-time Paralympic medalist, five-time TCS New York
City Marathon champion, NYRR Team for Kids Ambassador
- Amy Robach: ABC News, Good Morning America co-host
- Daniel Romanchuk -Two-time TCS New York City Marathon champion, first
American and youngest TCS New York City Marathon champion in the men's
wheelchair division
- Nev Schulman: Host and producer of MTV's Catfish, NYRR Team for Kids
Ambassador
- Andrew Shue: Actor, star of Melrose Place
- Emily Sisson: Two-time USA champion
The NYRR Volvo Virtual Racing series launched together with Strava at the
start of 2018. Since its inception, there have been more than 160,000 total
finishers from 100 countries across 30 virtual races. For more information
on the Virtual TCS New York City Marathon, please visit 2020 Virtual TCS
New York City Marathon.
The 2020 TCS New York City Marathon in-person race, the largest marathon in
the world, was originally scheduled to take place on November 1, but was
canceled due to coronavirus-related health and safety concerns.
About New York Road Runners (NYRR)
NYRR's mission is to help and inspire people through running. Since 1958,
New York Road Runners has grown from a local running club to the world's
premier community running organization. NYRR's commitment to New York
City's five boroughs features races, community events, free youth running
initiatives and school programs, the NYRR RUNCENTER featuring the New
Balance Run Hub, and training resources that provide hundreds of thousands
of people each year, from children to seniors, with the motivation,
know-how, and opportunity to Run for Life. NYRR's premier event, and the
largest marathon in the world, is the TCS New York City Marathon. Held
annually on the first Sunday in November, the race features 50,000 runners,
from the world's top professional athletes to a vast range of competitive,
recreational, and charity runners. To learn more, visit www.nyrr.org.
###
|
