Gabrielle Orie joins sister as Turkey Trot winner; Michael Brannigan takes men’s race

Gabrielle Orie was the top women’s finisher of Thursday’s 128th edition, finishing the 8K course through downtown in 27:49. She was third last year.

Danielle, the 2021 Turkey Trot winner, was second in 28:03.

The men’s winner was Michael Brannigan, 27, of Buffalo, who finished in 24:58.

Organizers said 14,000 runners and walkers took part in the latest edition of the longest consecutively run footrace in the world.

Gabrielle (who goes by Elle) and Danielle, 24, starred at Nardin before both went on to successful college running careers, Gabrielle at Cornell and then the University of Colorado, and Danielle at Penn and then the University of Wisconsin.

Their family has been running the Turkey Troy for years.

Jenny Keenan, a longtime WNY runner from Buffalo, was third in 29:43. Depew’s Mary Giza was fourth in 29:47, followed by Alexandra Cadicamo from Bronxville in 30:12 and Kyla Eisman, a former Lancaster runner now at Ithaca, in 30:12.

After Brannigan among the men’s top finishers, it was a particularly good day for current and former University at Buffalo runners.

Ryan Buzby, a former UB runner from Grand Island, was second in 25:09. He was fifth at the Mid-American Conference championships in cross country last year, and is the school record-holder in the indoor and outdoor 5,000 meters.