The top male and female runners at the 43rd annual Brentwood Firecracker 5K Run are part of the Gen Z population.

Julian Paul, from Pittsburgh, and Natalie Shapiro, from Morganville, N.J., captured first place in the overall male and female competition with times of 15:38 and 16:55. Paul is 23 years old; Shapiro is 24.

Paul improved from an eighth-place showing and 16:12 mark in 2025. He averaged 5:02 per mile to defeat 16-year-old Shepherd Butler by 13 seconds.

Butler, from Cranston, R.I., withstood a challenge for second place from Eli Anish, 24, from Pittsburgh, and Aliquippa’s Dominic Flitcraft, 21, who placed third and fourth in 15:53 and 15:55.

Anish finished fifth last year in 15:55.

Corry resident Jacob Derry, 26, garnered fifth place this year in 16:26, crossing the finish line ahead of Oakdale’s Cooper Knorr, 16, Isaac Doerfler, 17, from Pittsburgh, and Beaver’s Josef Dipientrantonio, 32.

Shapiro secured ninth place in the final race results while Nathaniel Orndorf, from Akron, Ohio, rounded out the overall top 10 with a 17-minute effort. John Shapiro, 18, from Morganville, N.J., finished five seconds behind Orndorf with a 17:05 time.

Natalie Shapiro, Michaela Kizershot White, 33, from Pittsburgh, and Claire Anderson, 22, from Jamestown were the three leading female runners. White and Anderson clocked times of 17:29 and 17:40.

Clairton’s Sylvia Kashak, 19, at 18:37, South Park’s Cassondra O’Connor, 21, at 19:04, Ann Mazur, 40, from Charlottsville, Va., at 19:41, Maria Gilles, 22, from North Ridgeville, Ohio, at 19:44, Lily Shapiro, from Morganville, N.J., at 20:40 and two Pittsburgh residents, Calista Larue, 21, at 20:47 and Jenna Bielewicz-O’Malley, 41, at 20:55, rounded out the top 10.

One of the largest, longest running and most popular 5K races in the Tri-State area, the Brentwood Firecracker is held annually July 4 on Brownsville Road and attracts both elite athletes and families with miles of cheering spectators.

A total of 2,278 contestants started this year’s race; 2,249 crossed the finish line.

The three leading runners in each age division were as follows:

MALE

1-11: Wyatt Stavor, 9, 23:13; Parker Roorback, 11, 24:18, Avery George, 11, 24:31. (Stavor was a repeat winner.)

12-14: Liam Seey, 13, 18:21; Joseph DiMarco, 14, 19:41; Anderson Wachter, 14, 19:47.

15-19: Shepherd Butler, 16, 15:51; Cooper Knorr, 16, 16:44; Isaac Doerfler, 17, 16:51.

20-24: Julian Paul, 23, 15:38; Eli Anish, 24; 15:53; Dominic Flitcraft, 21, 15:55.

25-29: Jacob Derry, 26, 16:26; Joseph Wright, 25, 19:50; Russell Smith, 28, 20:03.

30-34: Josef Dipietrantonio, 32, 16:51; Nathaniel Orndorf, 31,17:00; Thomas White, 33, 17:18.

35-39: Arjun Mishra, 35, 17:26; Brian Bacik, 35; 17:44; Kevin Baldasare, 37, 17:52.

40-44: Sean Battis, 44, 18:21; Philip Grand, 44, 18:49; Daniel Schmitt, 40, 20:06.

Masters: Sean Battis, 44, 18:24; Brett Mason, 50, 18:37; Emery Strotman, 47, 18:48.

45-49: Emery Strotman, 47, 18:46; Michael Bakota, 49, 21:24; Kevin Vinay, 46, 21:45.

50-54: Brett Mason, 50, 18:36; Pat Joyce, 51, 22:54; Isaac Simonis, 52, 23:06.

55-59: Eric Anish, 57, 19:29; Tadd Morris, 58, 20:28; David Wilt, 59; 22:09.

60-64: Mike Romzy, 64, 22:53; Larry Van Dyke, 64, 23:08; Mike Klier, 62, 23:21.

65-69: Domenic Presto, 66, 26:03; Shawn Sherry, 65, 27:36; Tony Chan, 67, 27:38.

70+: Joe Lazor, 77, 30:40; David Dziamniski, 71, 30:53; Al Vrabel, 73, 30:55.

FEMALE

1-11: Zoe Healey, 8, 25:50; Ava Seey, 11, 27:36; Morgan Quinn, 11, 30:22.

12-15: Autumn Dorcak, 13, 21:36; Amaya Kirk, 14, 22:10; Olivia Machi, 14, 23:30.

16-19: Sylvia Kashak, 19, 18:37; Hannah Hayes, 17, 21:39; Jaslyn Debnar, 19, 22:17.

20-24: Natalie Shapiro, 24, 16:55; Claire Anderson, 22, 17:40; Cassondra O’Connor, 21, 19:04.

25-29: Carly Tanney, 29, 22:12; Allison Mrkonja, 29, 23:11; Sarah Hacke, 27, 24:00.

30-34: Michaela Kizershot White, 33, 17:29; Kimberly Milius, 33, 22:45; Bailey Campbell, 31, 23:24.

35-39: Melody Carranza, 35, 23:34; Jamie Halesey, 39, 24:17; Laura Boley, 38, 24:24.

40-44: Ann Mazur, 40, 19:41; Jenna Bielewicz-O’Malley, 41, 20:55; Sarah Lenart, 44, 22:22.

Masters: Ann Mazur, 40, 19:42; Jenna Bielewicz-O’Malley, 41, 21:00; Sarah Lenart, 44, 22:27.

45-49: Christi Novak, 46, 24:08; Jamie Gasbarro, 46, 24:28; Katrina Kletzly, 47, 24:39.

50-54: Deana Wallace, 54, 26:36; Stephanie Teagarden, 51, 26:38; Heather Brady, 51, 27:01.

55-59: Debbie Conner, 56, 23:07; Julie Freedy, 55, 25:32; Diane Raible, 55, 30:10.

60-64: Amy Hutchison, 60, 25:15; Deanna Brown, 62, 27:24; Patty Balsamico, 60, 29:42.

65-69: Amy Ference, 66, 31:49; Judy Darling, 67, 32:20; Christina Ribich, 65, 34:59.

70+: Ellen Warner, 72, 31:07; Cynthia Rigby, 75, 35:48; BK Kosmach, 70, 41:56.