More than 30,000 runners filled Brooklyn streets Saturday for the 2026 RBC Brooklyn Half, setting a participation record for both the event and New York Road Runners.
30,341 athletes completed the 13.1-mile race, making it the largest half marathon in the event’s history. The course stretched from Prospect Park to the Coney Island boardwalk.
Brooklyn residents made up more than 20% of finishers, with large groups of runners coming from neighborhoods including Park Slope, Brooklyn Heights, Greenpoint, Fort Greene and Prospect Heights.
“This is a good step in my long-distance running career. I’ve been running 5Ks, 10Ks, and [today was] my first half marathon, so this is impressive to me,” said Longosiwa following his victory. “I’m graduating tomorrow, so I’m going to sleep a little bit tonight and tomorrow I’ll be celebrating two things: my graduation ceremony and my [RBC Brooklyn Half] win.”
Abraham Longosiwa won the men’s division in 1:04:32 during his half marathon debut. The Hofstra University student finished three seconds ahead of Ryan Kutch of Central Park Track Club, while Owen Ritz of New York Athletic Club placed third.
Fatima Alanis won the women’s division in 1:13:11 in her first RBC Brooklyn Half appearance. Alanis, a member of Central Park Track Club, led a sweep of the top four women’s finishers for the club.
Danica Reinicke of Brooklyn Track Club won the nonbinary division with a time of 1:18:17.
Near mile 12, runners passed 1,456 children participating in the Boardwalk Kids Run, which organizers said was the largest youth race in the event’s history.
“I moved to New York City a year ago and I knew I wanted to do as many New York Road Runners races as possible and I thought, ‘I want to get a good year of training and this is the perfect timing and the perfect race,’” said Alanis at the finish line. “The people cheering and running the streets of Brooklyn [made the RBC Brooklyn Half] so special.”
Several runners used the race to honor personal milestones and challenges. Brooklyn resident Jessica Aguilar completed the race after recovering from injuries sustained in a 2021 drunk-driving crash that left her partially disabled. Bed-Stuy runner Kenneth Serrano ran in memory of his friend Charles Rogers, who died after a cardiac incident during the 2025 race.
New York Road Runners also expanded its hands-only CPR training program during race week as part of its runner safety efforts.
