Copyright Staten Island Advance
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — In a week-and-a-half, the annual TCS NYC Marathon will be taking place with the five-borough race starting on Staten Island. It’s altogether fitting then that the first large live event would begin here in the borough as well! The annual Staten Island Running Association’s “Marathon Week Legends & Youth” Gala will kick off the marathon week on Wednesday evening, Oct. 29 at LiGreci’s Staaten. The TCS NYC Marathon takes place on Sunday, Nov. 2, and just like the fabled 26.2-mile race, the SIRA Gala has grown into large numbers as well. “It’s just amazing,” said SIRA Board Chairman Jeff Benjamin, who’s noting that the event, like in previous years will be a sell-out. “I guess it shows that Staten Island can lead off the week with a true world-class event along with honoring those in our community who’ve shown service and devotion to our sport.” And while those local honorees consist of those who’ve themselves volunteered on the local running/track & field scene, it’s also the appearances of true legendary A-Listers in the sport who’ve also enhanced the gala’s international reputation. “This year we once again have people coming in from far and wide,” said Benjamin, who counts on many sponsors and supporters to help bring these legends in, including travelers to the event from Connecticut, South Carolina, Texas, Las Vegas, Ohio and even Canada to name just a few. “We are grateful to our sponsors for bringing in these great sports men and women and equally thrilled that the running/track youth of our community have the opportunities to interact with them,” said Benjamin, noting that all youth who attend are complementary due to sponsorships. Amongst the announced “Legends” appearing, including a few returnees, are: Dave Wottle - The former World record holder 800 meters, it was Wottle’s dramatic victory in the 1972 Olympics, where the Bowling Green star doffing his trademark white golf cap trailed significantly in the early stages of the race, but who sprinted strongly at the end to win the Gold Medal in one of the narrowest finishes in Olympic history. Bob Beamon - “Beamonesque” was the word added to the dictionary after the NYC native destroyed the long jump world record by nearly two feet at the 1968 Mexico City Olympics. Like Wottle, this will be the barrier-breaking Beamon’s third appearance at the SIRA gala. Ajee’ Wilson - The 2020 World Indoor Champion at 800 meters is returning again to Staten Island as the 12-time national champion is still in the hunt to try and make the 2028 Olympic team. Bill Rodgers - A four-time Boston & NYC Marathon Champion, the “King of the Roads” returns to the borough once again, where 49 years ago he started out and would win the first five-borough NYC Marathon race! Steve Jones - The 1984 world record marathon holder at Chicago (2:08:05), 2025 also marks the 40th anniversary of the fastest marathon Jones ever ran, leading right from the start and running 2:07:13. A 1984 Olympian, Jones also decisively won the 1988 NYC Marathon. Butch Reynolds - The 1988 Olympic Silver & Gold medalist also became the world record holder at 400 meters (43.29) and won numerous golds at the World Championships. Billy Mills - Called in 1999 by Time magazine, “The greatest individual upset in Olympic history,” the unheralded Mills took on the world’s best in the 1964 Olympic 10,000 meters, sprinting past the world’s best and winning gold over the 6.2 mile distance at Tokyo. The Oglala Lakota Native-American also co-set the world record at 6-Miles in 1965. Geoff Smith - The two-time Olympic marathoner is also celebrating a 40th anniversary, as in 1985 Smith would win his second straight Boston Marathon. Barbara Friedrich Parcinski - A member of the 1968 Olympic team, Freidrich also competed at the 1967 Pan-Am Games, where as a high schooler she set the American record in the javelin. Frank O’Mara - The legendary Irish runner and Arkansas alum is a three-time Olympian, who won the 1985 winner 5th Avenue Mile and is a two-time World Indoor Champion. Matt Centrowiz - STILL the NYC high school record holder in the mile (4:02.7 from 1973), the two-time Olympian & four-time National Champion is also the dad of 2016 Olympic 1,500 gold medalist Matthew Centrowitz Jr. Allie Wilson - The Monmouth College alum competed as a 2024 Olympian at 800 meters and also won the & 2024 USA National Championships Indoor at 800 meters. Tony Staynings - The two-time British Olympian in the Steeplechase also competed for Western Kentucky and on the world-class road racing circuit, clocking a 1:02 half-marathon. Elliot Denman - A 1956 Olympian in the racewalk, the nonagenarian has also been one of the sport’s greatest writers, covering everything from youth right up to all of the Olympic Games since 1960. Dean Matthews - The 2:11 marathoner was also the winner of marathons in Honolulu and Pittsburgh as well as the Philly 1/2 Marathon. Bill Jankunis - Staten Island’s greatest living Olympian, the New Dorp HS alum stunned the world at the 1976 Olympic Trials, as the Staten Island Sports Hall of Famer upset the American field and won the long jump, thereby making the Olympic team for the Montreal Games. With everything going on in New York City that week, Benjamin can’t say if there may be others who might show up as well. “During Marathon week,” said Benjamin, “Anything and anyone is possible!”
