Nuguse Finds Extra Gear To Pass Parker Wolfe In 3:48 For Men's Title In 5th Avenue Debut; Morris Outkicks Defending Champion Karissa Schweizer For Women's Title In 4:16

By Oliver Hinson for DyeStat 

John Nepolitan photos

Yared Nuguse made the most of his New Balance Fifth Avenue Mile debut Sunday, coming out on top in a thrilling finish to the professional men’s race and breaking the tape in 3 minutes and 48 seconds.

Nuguse, of On Athletics Club, became the first American man to win the event since 2016. He battled with Nike’s Parker Wolfe in the last few meters of the race as they barreled towards 60th Street in midtown Manhattan. Wolfe’s late move appeared to be the decisive one, but Nuguse had the final word.

Sunday’s win was only the second of Nuguse’s outdoor season. He won the 1,500 meters at the Silesia Diamond League last month, but he did not pick up any wins in his six Grand Slam races earlier in the summer.

Nuguse finished fifth in the 1,500 final at the USATF Outdoor Championships in early August, failing to advance to the World Championships in Tokyo. He had a chance to earn a Wild Card spot to Tokyo two weeks ago at the Diamond League Final in Zurich, but he finished seventh in the 1,500.

Wolfe finished four tenths behind Nuguse in second place, running 3:49 in his third race since signing with the Swoosh TC. The former North Carolina standout went pro in July after missing the NCAA Outdoor Championships due to a foot injury, and he finished sixth in the 5,000 at the USATF Championships off of what he described in an Instagram post as “not so ideal training.” He’s now based in Flagstaff, training under Mike Smith.

Drew Hunter of ASICS fnished third, also in 3:49. Like Wolfe, Hunter made a late surge, and it looked like he would have a slight window to pull out the win, but he wasn’t able to pick off Nuguse or Wolfe. 

Hunter has enjoyed one of the most productive summers of his career in 2025. He earned wins at the Portland Track Festival, Sunset Tour and NACAC Championships, and he barely missed the podium in the 5,000 at the USATF Championships, finishing fourth. 

Rounding out the top five on Sunday were Puma’s Nick Griggs, the youngest man in the field at 20, and Under Armour’s Festus Lagat. 

Gracie Morris Keeps Breakout Season Rolling

Puma’s Gracie Morris timed her kick perfectly in the women’s race, outkicking defending champion Karissa Schweizer and earning her first Fifth Avenue Mile title with a time of 4:16. 

Schweizer got out hard, building a lead of about five meters by the halfway point, but Morris slowly crept up on her over the third quarter, passing Schweizer with a full head of steam with about 200 meters left.

Morris, who is in her first full year as a professional, has been one of the nation’s most promising young distance runners in 2025. She lowered her 1,500 personal best from 4:08.94 to 4:04.05 in July at the Ed Murphey Classic, and she set a massive mile PB at the Sir Walter Miler in August, running 4:23.74 for the win. She also earned ninth in the 1,500 final at the USATF Outdoor Championships.

Kayley Delay of the Brooks Beasts finished second, also barely outkicking Schweizer at the end and running 4:18. Last year, Delay finished 14th in this race and ran 4:27.

Schweizer ended up taking third, also running 4:18. Last year, she tied Laura Muir’s course record of 4:14.8, and she came in with intentions of both defending her title and claiming the record for her own. She was on pace to do so early in the race, but she dropped off in the third quarter.

Eleanor Fulton (ASICS) and Laurie Barton (Atlanta Track Club) rounded out the top five, finishing fourth and fifth with times of 4:19 and 4:21, respectively.