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(c) 2024 Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved, Published with permission. NEW YORK (18-Feb) -- Olympians Conner Mantz (Nike) and Emily Sisson (New Balance) are set to lead the USA charge at the 18th edition of the United Airlines NYC Half here on Sunday, March 16.  The two USA record holders --the half-marathon for Mantz and the marathon for Sisson-- are part of a star-studded field announced today by race founders and organizers, New York Road Runners.  The 2024 edition was the second-largest half-marathon in the United States last year with 27,824 finishers. Mantz, 28, who won the USA Olympic Team Trials Marathon last February, is coming off a record-setting runner-up finish at the Aramco Houston Half-Marathon on January 19 where he set a new American record of 59:17.  In that race Mantz also set national records at 15 km (42:05), 10 miles (45:16), and 20 km (56:23) on his way to the finish.  Last November, he finished sixth in the TCS New York City Marathon in 2:09:00, the fastest time ever by an American at that race. "I was fortunate to kick off my 2025 season with an American record in the half-marathon," Mantz said through a statement. "Racing the United Airlines NYC Half will help me to continue that momentum during an important year of racing. Every time I race in New York, the crowds and camaraderie are unmatched, so I'm excited to have another opportunity to compete against some of the fastest and strongest athletes in the world." Sisson, 33, made her half-marathon debut at the NYC Half back in 2017 when she battled her then training partner Molly Huddle right to the tape, clocking 1:08:21 to finish second by two seconds.  She finished second again in 2018, and hasn't competed in the event since.  However, she later ran excellent half-marathons on flatter courses, and set a since-broken national record of 1:06:52 in Houston in 2023.  She set the still-standing USA marathon record of 2:18:29 at the Bank of America Chicago Marathon in 2022. Both Mantz and Sisson will have plenty of competition for the NYC Half's $20,000 first prize.  Two Kenyans, Abel Kipchumba and Richard Etir, have fast personal best times of 58:07 and 59:32, respectively on their résumés.  Kipchumba, who represents adidas, won the 2024 edition of the race in 1:00:25, while Etir will make his New York debut. Other top entrants include Briton Patrick Dever (1:00:11 PB); Americans Hillary Bor (1:00:20), Biya Simbassa (1:00:37), and Reed Fischer (1:00:54); Kenyan Wesley Kiptoo (1:00:34); Eritrean Yemane Haileselassie (1:01:34); and Japan's Yudai Kiyama (1:00:32) and Hibiki Murakami (1:01:46).  Canadian Olympic 5000m silver medalist Moh Ahmed, and two-time American Olympian Woody Kincaid will make their half-marathon debuts (both have run sub-27:00 for 10,000m on the track). On the women's side three-time European cross country champion, Karoline Bjerkeli Grøvdal of Norway, will try to retain her title.  She won the 2024 edition of the race in 1:09:09, 18 seconds ahead of Kenyan Gladys Chepkurui. "Winning the 2024 United Airlines NYC Half was a dream come true and set the tone for the rest of my season," said Grøvdal, who represents adidas. "This race is extremely special to me and to have the opportunity to defend my title is an incredible honor." Including Sisson and Grøvdal, a total of seven women who are entered have run under 68 minutes for the half-marathon distance.  The others are Lonah Chemtai Salpeter of Israel (1:06:09), Calli Hauger-Thackery of Great Britain (1:06:58), Sara Hall of the United States (1:07:15), Sharon Lokedi of Kenya (1:07:42), and Fiona O'Keeffe of the United States (1:07:42).  O'Keeffe was the 2024 USA Olympic Team Trials Marathon champion. In the professional wheelchair division, Susannah Scaroni will try for her third straight NYC Half title, while Dutchman Geert Schipper will try to win for the second consecutive time. ** This year's NYC Half will take runners over the Brooklyn Bridge for the first time after using the Manhattan Bridge since the start was moved to Brooklyn from Manhattan in 2018.  The finish line will still be in Central Park, just south of Tavern on the Green.  The point-to-point course is not record eligible, but is very tough with many hills and a high point of 45 meters above sea level. PHOTO: Conner Mantz competing in the 2024 TCS New York City Marathon (photo by Jane Monti for Race Results Weekly)  

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