Wheelchair racing 7-year-old girl excited to cross the 5th Avenue Mile finish line
MANHATTAN, New York (WABC) -- A little girl with a big heart plans to take the New Balance 5th Avenue Mile by storm this weekend by zooming through the course on her wheelchair.
The 43rd annual race has no shortage of big names this year. Twenty Olympians will be among the thousands racing down the iconic Manhattan street, including Josh Kerr, the defending champ, and silver medalist at the Paris Olympics. But the most inspirational competitor has to be 7-year-old Karissa Manurung.
The daughter of Indonesian immigrants, Manurung was born with spinal bifida, a rare birth defect that has left her unable to use her legs, forcing her to spend her young life in a wheelchair.
The family moved to New York two years ago when her father Hotma Manurung came across the New York Road Runners Instagram page.
There he saw children taking part in wheelchair races, and immediately saw an opportunity for his little girl.
"She didn't have any friends before with a wheelchair, so she was the only one in her class, even in her school," he said. "So, being with this wheelchair running program, she got to know many friends in a wheelchair too. It's been so great for her."
Karissa Manurung quickly took to the sport, joining the Road Runners Youth Wheelchair Training program.
She's already taken part in several races, made plenty of friends just like her and most of all, has had a lot of fun.
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"My favorite part is going a million beats, like a million times going really fast," she said.
In just the short time she's been racing, her parents say they already notice a difference, not just in her times, but in her personality.
"Her confidence level has boosted up so much," Hotma Manurung said. "Like I just said, it's like her coming out of her shell and being confident. She loves it so much, and she always tells her friends at school, 'I did this, I did that,' something that has really made her proud of herself."
This will be the first time the 7-year-old will take part in the 5th Avenue Mile.
She says she can't wait to cross the finish line with her whole family there cheering her on.
"My room is going to be full of medals," she said.
"It's a very powerful moment for us, seeing her going and going and going, I kept yelling, I'm a loud person, I say to her, 'go go go Karissa, you can do it! I'm so proud of you.' And when she goes, I just want to hug her, I just want to say I'm so proud of you and you've been so amazing," Hotma Manurung said.
The event will be televised live on WABC-TV and wherever you stream ABC 7 New York from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m., and be available across the country on ESPN+.
The New Balance 5th Avenue Mile - the world's most iconic road mile race since 1981 - is one of 60 adult and youth races produced by NYRR.
The Walt Disney Company is the parent company of ESPN+ and this ABC station.
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