New York Road Runners will honor the Rudin family with the Abebe Bikila Award for their commitment to the sport of distance running next week.
Mary Wittenberg, president and CEO of New York Road Runners and marathon race director of the ING New York City Marathon, will present the award to Bill Rudin on October 30 at the Central Park finish line of the ING New York City Marathon.
Originally intended to be part of the 2012 Marathon celebrations, NYRR postponed award presentations after Hurricane Sandy forced the cancellation of the race. This year’s ceremony will be part of the annual event where city and race officials begin painting the blue line that traces the iconic race route through the five boroughs of New York.
In 1976, Lewis and Jack Rudin honored their late father, Samuel Rudin – an avid long distance runner and a member of the Pastime Athletic Club in the Bronx – by becoming a sponsor of the New York City Marathon. For 36 years, the Rudin family has presented the winning athletes of the race with the Samuel Rudin Trophy.
“The Rudin family is part of the fabric of the ING New York City Marathon – it’s impossible to think of the race without reflecting on their tremendous contribution,” said Wittenberg. “Their steadfast, decades-long support of NYRR and our marquee event have helped advance the race as one of NYC’s most treasured traditions and furthered NYRR’s efforts to help all New Yorkers Run for Life. I look forward to presenting this token of our appreciation to Bill Rudin this year.”
Bill Rudin, vice chairman and chief executive officer of Rudin Management, Inc., stated, “On behalf of my family, we are honored to accept the Abebe Bikila Award and are proud to have been a part of the New York City Marathon since 1976 when my father Lew and my uncle Jack were asked to sponsor the one-time five borough race. Today, that five-borough race is an annual event and has grown to become the preeminent race in the world. There is no greater day in New York City than Marathon Sunday.”
The Abebe Bikila Award, named for the legendary 1960 and 1964 Olympic marathon champion from Ethiopia, has been presented annually by New York Road Runners since 1978 to an individual who has made an outstanding contribution to the sport of distance running, both on and off the field. Past recipients include Grete Waitz, Fred Lebow, Bill Rodgers, Allan Steinfeld, Paul Tergat, and 2011 winner Gérman Silva.
Nationally, the ING New York City Marathon will be presented live on ESPN2 and ESPN Deportes+ from 9:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. EST. New Yorkers can watch the race on ABC7 or 7online.comfrom 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m..
