NYC Marathon Wins Sports Event Of The Year

It beat out the NBA All-Star Game, and the NCAA Final Four.

The ING New York City Marathon just got a little more respect. On Wednesday, New York Road Runners CEO, Mary Wittenberg, attended the Sports Business Awards at the Marriot Marquis in Times Square. She was hopeful that her race would win the Sports Event of the Year. But the competition was stiff with the race going up against the likes of the NBA All-Star Game, the NCAA Final Four, and the Winter X-Games.

However, Wittenberg walked away with the impressive award.

“Four years ago, when we hosted the Olympic Trials, I really felt, ‘Oh man, we should have been nominated,'” Wittenberg recalled. “The last few years, I kept thinking that’s a big goal and we should be nominated, so when we were, we were thrilled. When we got here I thought, ‘When you look at 2010, so much came together in that year’s marathon. I think we can win this thing.'”

This year marks the first time in the history of the event that a participatory sport received the award.

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