New York, December 3, 2018 — New York Road Runners has announced seven professional athletes as finalists for the 2018 NYRR Pro Performer of the Year, who are being recognized for their outstanding achievements at NYRR races over the past year. The public is welcome to vote here for the top NYRR Pro Performer from the year through 12:00 p.m. ET on Thursday, December 13.

The 2018 NYRR Pro Performer of the Year will be announced the week of December 17.

The finalists for the award are listed below and have been chosen based off their performances at the following NYRR races in the NYRR Pro Racing Series: NYRR Wanamaker Mile, United Airlines NYC Half, UAE Healthy Kidney 10K, NYRR New York Mini 10K, New Balance 5th Avenue Mile, Abbott Dash to the Finish Line 5K and USATF 5K Championships, and TCS New York City Marathon.

• Buze Diriba (ETH): She won the United Airlines NYC Half in a sprint finish and then recorded the fourth-fastest time in event history to win the UAE Healthy Kidney 10K the following month.
• Mary Keitany (KEN): She won her fourth TCS New York City Marathon, finishing in the second-fastest time in event history, and also won her third NYRR New York Mini 10K.
• Rhonex Kipruto (KEN): He won the UAE Healthy Kidney 10K in the fastest-ever 10K time on U.S. soil on a record-standard course.
• Daniel Romanchuk (USA): He became the first American and youngest athlete ever to win the men’s wheelchair division at the TCS New York City Marathon.
• Susannah Scaroni (USA): She became the first-ever wheelchair division winner of the NYRR New York Mini 10K, recording a world-best 10K time in the process.
• Jenny Simpson (USA): She won a record-extending seventh career title at the New Balance 5th Avenue Mile.
• Ben True (USA): He became the first American to win the men’s open division at the United Airlines NYC Half.

About New York Road Runners (NYRR) 
In 2018, NYRR is celebrating 60 years of helping and inspiring 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, school programs, 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.