"What the Spirit of Brooklyn Is All About"
The 2022 RBC Brooklyn Half was a thrill for runners, spectators, volunteers, NYRR staff, and fans, as this iconic race—celebrating its 40th running this year—returned to the streets of Brooklyn for the first time since 2019.
"There's been a lot that's gone on since the last time we ran this race—1,099 days ago," said Ted Metellus, Race Director and NYRR VP of Events.
"Let's show everyone what the spirit of Brooklyn is all about!" he said, to thunderous cheers from runners at the start. "We'll be waiting for you at the Coney Island boardwalk!"
Nearly 20,000 runners completed their 13.1 miles from the start at the Brooklyn Museum, around Prospect Park, and along Ocean Parkway to the finish in Coney Island. Hundreds of volunteers, along with NYRR staff, supported runners all along the way.
The top men's finisher, Patricio Castillo of United Mexican Runners of New York, led from start to finish and won by over a minute, clocking 1:03:58. The top women's finisher was Erin Gregoire of Brooklyn Track Club in 1:22:55, and the top non-binary finisher was Jacob Caswell of Front Runners New York in 1:16:28.
Marie-Ange Brumelot of Queens Distance Runners and her father, Nicolas Brumelot, set a Guinness World Record for the fastest half marathon run by a parent and child. Marie-Ange represented France at the 2020 World Athletics Half Marathon Championships and finished third in today's race.
Brooklyn residents Krissa Cetner and Alex Salazar, who stopped to get married in front of 100 guests at mile 6 of the 2017 Brooklyn Half, then finished, ran again this year to honor their 5-year anniversary, cheered on by their 3-year-old son, Myles.
Though forecasters had predicted a warm morning with race officials urging runners to follow NYRR's guidelines for staying safe in the heat, temperatures remained relatively cool, with fog and cloud cover that gradually gave way to sunshine. Congratulations to all finishers for their efforts today!
Hundreds of youth runners completed the free Boardwalk Kids Run at the RBC Brooklyn Half, showing the future of the sport. They ran an out-and-back half-mile on the boardwalk as the adult finishers and other supporters cheered them on.
Check out Stage 3 youth race results.
The Brooklyn Half began in 1981 on a course mostly in Prospect Park. For many years the race started in Coney Island and finished in Prospect Park. Today the RBC Brooklyn Half is one of the country's premier half marathons and features a three-day RBC Brooklyn Half Pre-Party Presented by New Balance showcasing the best of Brooklyn.
This year's race is the first with title partner Royal Bank of Canada (RBC), a purpose-driven global financial institution that, similar to NYRR, is strongly committed to giving back to communities.
What a day it was in Brooklyn—one that was worth waiting for and meant so much to the running community, all of Brooklyn, and beyond.